


Ke barjurir gar'ade, jagyc'ade kot'la a dalyc'ade kotla'shya

by CallistaGseran



Series: A Daughter's Quest [1]
Category: Star Wars Legends - All Media Types
Genre: Adoption, Family Bonding, Mandalorian Culture, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-07
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 03:41:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 35
Words: 125,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21699628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CallistaGseran/pseuds/CallistaGseran
Summary: "Train your sons to be strong, but train your daughters to be stronger." Marin is discovered aboard Jarius' ship on Corellia. The Mandalorian offers her a chance at a new life. This story spans roughly seven to ten years, beginning before the events ofTo All Things an End. Co-authored with: Steffan Karrde and Xan Qenadius.
Series: A Daughter's Quest [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1564138
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> These stories are a collaborative work between myself and others over the last twenty years. They are posted here with permission. Many thanks to Steffan Karrde, Myk-ron Dinn and others for helping me feed the muse. 
> 
> This story is set in the same universe and time period as the other stories in the Reflections arc. This story occurs during the events of _**Time Heals All Wounds**_, and _**Redemption**_. All other stories can be found here: <https://archiveofourown.org/users/CallistaGseran/pseuds/CallistaGseran>
> 
> The Cataani people and all related information is the brainchild of Steffan Karrde. All characters used are used with the permission of their originating writer.
> 
> Mando'a language © Karen Traviss and LFL
> 
> Star Wars © LFL

* * *

_Ke barjurir gar'ade, jagyc'ade kot'la a dalyc'ade kotla'shya_  
(Train your sons to be strong, but train your daughters to be stronger)  
-Mandalorian Proverb

* * *

The night air was cool and damp against Marin's face as she crept away from the orphanage. The dilapidated building stood on the outer edge of Coronet, Corellia's capital city. She hated that place. She couldn't do anything... and she had to keep hiding her... talent, passing it off as accidents. With a muttered curse in Huttese that would make her fellow orphans snicker, she tripped over a pile of garbage in the dark alley.

Picking herself up, she continued on towards the spaceport. Maybe she'd get lucky, and could stow away on one of the many ships. Her growling stomach distracted her from that thought. With cautious steps, she skulked past the night guard, distracting him long enough so that she could slip inside the perimeter fence. The question now was, where to look for food?

* * *

The ship landed in the pad it was assigned to with relative ease. To the normal eye, the lines gave it the look of a vessel that no one would pay any attention to...or try to mess with if they knew the arsenal it contained.

With everything shut down and the boarding ramp lowered, the pilot walked down and looked around the bay. 'Place hasn't changed a bit,' he thought as he cricked his neck to the side and pulled up a holomap on his wrist computer, locating where he was supposed to meet his contact. 'Get this over with and get going,' he told himself, checking his blaster at his thigh and the shoto on his back as he started to walk out of the bay.

Marin heard the booted footsteps coming around the corner, and she froze, slipping into the shadows as she watched their owner, an armored figure, come out of the bay that she had been headed towards. _'Sithspawn....' _she thought, that was too close. She watched him, waiting until he began to move away. Then she ducked into the bay. All she wanted was food; she didn't much care where it came from. With cautious steps, she moved towards the ship. It looked old and worn, with rust spots spread over the paint in some areas. Chewing her lip nervously, she approached the hatch, studying it carefully.

_<Your target moved to the Selonian sector a few hours ago>_ his contact told him in the cantina. _<The tracking beacon we were told about is no longer active.>_

"He is many things, but not stupid," the man said as he stood up and tossed a few coins down to pay for the contact's drink. "Traffic through there only happens through a few lanes. No problem tracking him down."

_'Nice move, finding that beacon,'_ he thought to himself. _'He must be really paranoid...I planted it myself.'_

* * *

Marin studied the hatch for several minutes until she began tracing the circuitry in the Force. Several minutes later, with sweat dripping down her back, she was rewarded with the hatch swinging open. Allowing herself to breathe again, she slipped inside the cool darkness, blinking owlishly as the lights in the area flickered on. Shaking herself, she moved quietly down the corridor, searching for the galley.... or even just rations.

* * *

He kept down the alleyway from the cantina, fully aware that there were two following him. He made a few changes in his path through the markets and still they followed. With a sigh, he ducked into another alley, thankfully deserted.

His followers, seeing an opportunity, ducked in with weapons drawn now. The first was gunned down instantly. The second, before it even registered that their plan turned completely sour, was grabbed by the collar and thrown to the ground. Before he could even get back up, he felt the sharp pain and cried out as the stranger drove his _shoto_ into the man's shoulder. "And you were following me why?" he asked as he got nose to nose with his follower.

_<Told to watch for a guy in armor>_ the alien muttered through the pain. _<Told to make it look like an accident.>_

"As if you could," he said as he withdrew the _shoto_ and gave the alien a reward for telling him the truth....a swift death.

* * *

Meanwhile, Marin had finally found her goal - the galley. With a groan, she slid to the deck, her head spinning from hunger. She sat there for a few minutes, breathing slowly to quell the dizziness before she stood and began rummaging through the storage unit. The first thing she grabbed was a ration bar. Tearing the wrapper with her teeth, she bit into it as she stuffed more into her pocket.

With her pocket full, she began making her way back towards the hatch. It was then that the back of her neck prickled. She knew that feeling. Someone was coming. With a curse, she latched the storage unit, and made a mad dash for the hatch, hoping to either pull it closed or bolt.

He had felt the prickle at almost the same time as he reached the entrance to his hangar bay. _ 'There's someone here.'_ He left his weapons undrawn and started to walk towards the ship.

Cursing, Marin backpedaled, closing down her presence as much as she could, hoping it would disguise her presence. She ducked into a side passage, her left hand questing for the small folding knife she kept. She didn't have to use it often, but something about that man put her on edge. She crouched there, holding her breath and hoping that he wouldn't find her.

He reached the top of the ramp, looking down the corridor. He couldn't sense anyone at the moment, but that didn't mean that there wasn't anyone still onboard. _'You know how to hide well,'_ he thought as he looked and saw crumbs on the deck. It could only have been from one of his ration packs. He turned and closed the hatch, locking it down and placed a code on it. "I know you are on board," he called out as he stayed there. "If you are here to try to kill me, you picked a very bad spot to try. And I do not take kindly to thieves either....so you better come out and come clean now."

_'Sithspawn..... just my luck....'_ Marin cursed silently, struggling slow her racing pulse. She'd never been caught before, and she knew this time she was stuck. She heard the hatch lock engage. Swallowing, she remained kneeling on the deck, slowing her breathing as much as she could. For a few long moments, she just knelt on the cool deckplates, not daring to move.

After a moment's thought, she rose to a crouch, dropping the remains of the ration bar by her feet as she palmed her knife and moved further down the corridor. Some part of her knew she was just delaying the inevitable, but she didn't much care at this point. At least being dead she wouldn't have to deal with the hell that Coronet had become for her.

He heard it.....faint, but he knew he heard something hit the deck. Towards the direction of the galley. And that was the direction he took...not with loud steps, but with the silent movements he always used to stalk.

Marin moved carefully down the corridor, cursing silently._ 'Why did I have to pick this ship....??'_ Mentally berating herself, she skidded around the corner, her pulse pounding in her ears as the adrenaline kicked in. She knew it was only a matter of time. Glancing wildly around the small room, she ducked around the corner, slipping into the small closet, and pulling the door closed as quietly as she could.

"You can't hide on this ship forever," he called again, feeling a sudden shift and he focused even more towards that part of the ship. "You can play this game as long as you want, but you are still going to lose. The only difference between ending it now and later is that later I'm not going to be in the mood to ask questions." He kept moving down the corridor quietly, still feeling for a trace of the intruder's presence.

Marin swallowed upon hearing that, and beads of cold sweat traced down her neck, her chest heaving as she tried to calm herself. He sounded closer now..... _much closer._ She tightened her grip on the small knife, knowing it wouldn't do much good against him. Silently, she rose on the balls of her feet, pushing out of the closet and bolting down the corridor to her left, and away from him.

The closeness surprised him when the panel fell away and seeing his 'intruder' running down the corridor. _'A child?' _he thought._ 'A child snuck onboard?' _He immediately started after her and caught her by the arm not too far down the corridor. She spun in his grip and brought a small blade around as hard as she could, but the blade snapped when it hit the plate of his _beskar'gam_. He batted the broken handle out of her grip and pinned her down to the deck.

She was in tears now, and he took no action against her. "I will not hurt you," he told her and meant it. It was against his personal code to hurt children. "But you _will_ tell me who you are."

Marin was shaking now, and she looked wildly around... anywhere but him as she struggled in his grip. She shook her head violently at his question, squirming.

"I have already given you my word that no harm will come to you here," he said as he picked her up and brought her into the galley area and sat her down. He looked to see where she had gotten into the ration bars. He took a bottle of water out and tossed it to her. "They'll dry your mouth out after a while. Now...y_our name_."

Marin fumbled the bottle in surprise, barely catching it before it fell to the deck. With shaking hands, she brought it to her lips and took a slow sip, her gaze locked on the visor of his helmet. After a moment, she spoke, though it wasn't much more than a scared whisper. "Marin..."

The fear was coming off of her in waves now. He couldn't have that, so he started to remove the helmet and show the bearded face underneath. "You need to calm down," he told her as he set the helmet down. "Your heart is going pound out of your chest if you don't."

Marin gulped and then started coughing as she choked a bit on the water she'd been drinking. "I...I didn't mean anything by it! I'm sorry!" She was frantic again, hiccuping as she tried to calm herself down.

He sighed and walked over and placed his hand over her head, sending a wave of calm through her. It took a few moments, but it finally started to take effect and he knelt down and looked into the child's eyes. "Why come onto my ship?" he asked her quietly, but still firm.

She shrugged, feeling her breathing slow a little. His touch was... oddly soothing, and seemed out of place. She looked at the deck for a moment, nervously twisting her fingers. "I...I was starving..... and there wasn't any food at the orphanage...." She whispered the last word and looked away.

_'An orphan,' _he thought as he heard the answer. "How long have you been alone?"

Marin swallowed. "I...don't know..... a year.... maybe two?" She hiccuped again, but slowly lifted her head, fidgeting nervously as she brushed her dark hair from her face. Her face was pale and somewhat thin, along with the rest of her frame. Her clothes were tattered and torn, though crude attempts at patching had been made, the stitches large and uneven.

"You have spirit," he told her as he stood up and started to assess her. "And you show a talent for making yourself unseen. How long have you been able to do that?"

Marin swallowed again, her eyes huge. "About the last year or so...." she said nervously, eyeing him warily as if measuring her chances. "I don't usually get caught...." she muttered.

_'There is potential here,' _he told himself as he pondered the situation. He sighed and thought about it.

_'They'd said it was about time I started training again,' _he thought as he rubbed his jaw then looked over at the girl.

_'She has talent...and a definite Force connection. I've never done any of that kind of training before. I'll have to trust my instincts on this one.'_

"Marin," he said to her as he got up. "I will ask this and I want an honest answer from you. Did you feel a 'pull' to this ship?"

Marin blinked in surprise and flushed, scuffing her feet nervously on the decking before she nodded. "I did... even after almost running smack into you as you came out of the landing bay..." She finally lifted her head and looked at him fully, nervously chewing her lower lip.

"You have talents that make you unique," he told her. "More than you might imagine. I can take you off-planet... perhaps show you just how unique you are and teach you. But, and I will warn you now, this will not be easy. Far from it. And if you accept, you are in this for a very long time." He stood up and started to walk to the corridor. "I'll wait at the boarding ramp for your decision. Take your time and decide carefully."

Marin looked at him, her eyes huge as his words sank in. She watched his retreating back for a long moment before her gaze slid ti the deck again. _'Is he... for real?'_ she wondered. She hadn't felt any ill will from him. She listened to his footsteps fade down the corridor and frowned. _'What did he mean by a very long time....?'_ With a frustrated and confused sigh, she slid sloppily to the deck, tucking her feet under her as she tried to sort out her thoughts. There was something about him.....almost a magnetic pull. She didn't know what it was.

For several minutes, she sat there, turning his words over in her mind. To a six-year-old, it sounded great..... almost too good to be true. _What was the catch....?_ She rose stiffly to her feet and decided to ask him. With quiet footsteps, she traced that path back to the hatch, appearing at his elbow. "It sounds...... too simple. What's the catch?" She was so used to people taking advantage of her young age and inexperience.

"No catch," he told her. "There is no such thing as a 'catch' along the Mando's path. Are you aware of what I'm talking about?"

Marin shook her head, craning her neck to look up at his face. "I... don't understand..." she finally admitted, frustration tinging her voice as she leaned against the inner edge of the hatch with a confused sigh, scuffing the toe of her boot on the worn decking.

"I've asked your name without giving mine," he said softly. "Where are my manners? My name is Jarius Durza. I am a Cataani by birth but I am of the Beviin Clan of the Mandalorians."

Marin blushed slightly. "Good to meet you, Jarius..." Her voice was soft and a little timid. She chewed thoughtfully on her lower lip. "I.... don't know where the... talent for hiding comes from. I've just been able to hide..... and unlock ..._things_ for about the last year." She looked nervously away from him for a moment.

"The abilities you talk about are like those of a person who has the ability to touch the Force," he told her. "Such as the Jedi..."

Marin blinked again, and looked up at him, her eyes wide. "I don't even remember my parents.....all I remember is the orphanage, and ....stealing in order to eat every day..." She looked down and fidgeted with the ragged hem of her shirt. "I guess ... anything is better than here..."

"Then your answer is.....?" Jarius asked her.

"It's... _yes_..." She said firmly as she pushed away from the bulkhead, hugging herself uncertainly.

"Very well," he said as he finished locking down the boarding hatch. "I have a contract to finish on Selonia, then we will leave the system and begin your training."

Marin nodded, her eyes wide as she fidgeted again. "What... should I do while you're finishing that....?" She looked up at him, her eyes studying his worn face. There were hard lines in it, but she had a good feeling about him.

"You're still hungry," he told her as he turned to the cockpit. "And you need a fresh set of clothes. Go back and finish up in the galley. After my contract is finished, we'll see about getting you the proper attire for your training."

"Yes, Jarius...." she said firmly, nodding as she turned away. His mention of food had set her stomach rumbling again. He seemed to know much about her, without her even telling him. Maybe he was a Jedi like he'd spoke of? She pondered that thought as she found herself in the galley again. Peeking in the cabinets, she found some dried fruit and cereal. That would do for now.

She ate in silence until she couldn't take another bite. Clearing her bowl, she wandered down the left-hand corridor, until she found a sleeping cabin. This one looked like it hadn't been used, so she slipped inside and flopped onto the mattress, asleep almost instantly.


	2. Chapter 2

A few hours later, Marin woke as a jolt ran through the ship. They'd landed... Selonia from what Jarius had said. Scrubbing her face with her palms, she sat up and blinked. _He'd draped a blanket over her..._ She smiled faintly and scooted off the bed, padding barefoot into the corridor. _'Might as well look for a 'fresher...'_ she thought to herself. _'Keep myself busy while he finishes the contract.' _

Looking around, she peeked into a few of the cabins, until she spotted what she wanted. There were even towels, and some spare clothes, which looked like they might be huge on her, but it would have to do. She slipped inside and pulled off her tattered clothes, rifling through the stack of clean ones till she found one that would ...sort of fit.

* * *

It was smoky in the dive when he walked in. His senses were alive as well as the scanners in his helmet, going through the crowd to find the one he was looking for. It took a few moments, but he eventually located him with a few others at the corner.

"You are a difficult person to find when you absolutely want to be," he said as he approached the group. "I can just imagine the number of credits you had to put out for a scanner that could pick up the tracking device I put on your ship."

_<I gave you my offer, Durza,>_ his target said in Huttese as his friends started to spread out a little. _<An extra fifty percent on top of whatever amount whoever put on me.>_

"That's not the point," Durza told him, keeping a wary eye on his friends. "The point is the bounty was placed on you because you were the one who was setting the bombs at the shelters in the Jordas system. The other faction wanted no survivors at all and you were happy enough to take the money to make it happen."

* * *

With a sigh, Marin rolled up the sleeves and legs of the coverall. It was still quite large, obviously meant for someone a little taller than her. She bundled up her clothes and padded back out into the corridor. It was quiet now. Jarius had gone. Making her way back to the sleeping cabin, she ran her fingers through her damp hair as she sat to put her boots on.

With that done, she went back to the galley, spotting the crumbs and the ration bar from earlier on the deck. Chewing her lip for a moment, she mulled it over for a moment before she shrugged. She didn't see any harm in it, so she peeked into the closet she'd hidden in before, finding a small hand broom. She swept up the crumbs and dumped them in the disposal before putting the broom back and going back to her bunk to rest.

* * *

_<So I have two options, then...is that it?>_ his target asked as he stood up. _<Leave in your custody to face them or face off with you now? Thinking that a Mandalorian's reputation will make me choose the first?>_

"I don't rely on reputation," Durza told them, already seeing where it was going to go and planning his move. "And as far as your options, I will be honest with you. The bounty didn't want you alive."

The first to his left reached for the blaster at his side as well as the one to his right. They were the farthest ones out, on each side of him. He moved to the one on his left and dragged his arm forward as his blaster cleared and aimed it at the one to his right when the trigger was pulled. The shot hit the other dead center and Jarius wasted no time to break the man's wrist and turned to slam his hand up into the man's nose, driving the bone up into his head.

He could sense the others moving to action and drew a dart from its hiding place on his wrist and threw it into the throat of the next person. His target was already running for the door as the last friend drew a vibroblade and charged. Jarius turned and grabbed the friend's weapon hand with his left and moved it to his right. It pulled the man forward and his throat met with Jarius's right hand, split into a V that snapped the man's Adam's apple.

His target was almost to the door when he pulled a stun net launcher from its place on his left holster and fired it center into the man's back. It wrapped around him instantly and sent him flying out of the doorway and he landed hard on the permacrete of the sidewalk. Jarius was only shaking his head as he reached down and turned the man onto his back. "Did you really think you would be able to get away from me twice?"

_<Just do it already!>_ he yelled out.

"They wanted something specific," Jarius told him as he pulled a concussion grenade out and stuffed it into the man's mouth and set the timer. He drew the man's attention to a holocam Jarius planted earlier to send the feed of what was going to happen to the people who had offered the contract. That being done, he turned and started to walk back towards the spaceport. He didn't even flinch when the explosion went off after he was a block or two down the street.

* * *

Something jolted Marin from sleep. It wasn't a sound... but something she felt. Cautiously, she reached out, much as she did when tracking people who were chasing her. She felt... death. But where was Jarius? She curled up under the thick blanket, drawing her knees to her chest._ 'Was he....? Or was he the one that had caused it....?' _Those questions whirled in her mind, and she still lay curled up when Jarius found her.

Jarius entered the cockpit of his ship and entered a few commands into the communications panel.

"Confirm holo transmission of the contract being completed," he said blandly over the channel.

_"We have confirmed,"_ a voice on the other responded. _"Transfer of the agreed-upon amount has been completed. We thank you."_

He cut the transmission without another word and began to walk down the corridor, noting when he reached the galley that what little mess that was on the deck was gone. On a guess, he went into the extra sleeping berth and noticed that Marin was still laying on the bunk. He nodded softly and shut the door to head to his own cabin.

Marin had heard his footsteps in the corridor. Quietly, she slid off the bunk and padded after him, tugging at his coverall.

He turned at the tug and looked down at the girl. "Yes?" he asked.

For a moment, Marin chewed her lip. "I felt... someone die...." she said softly, her voice a little timid. "I thought maybe you had...." she shrugged, having a hard time finding the right words.

He nodded softly. "You are more attuned to the Force than I thought. Yes, there was a death." He knelt down and looked at her. "It was a contract that I was tasked to complete...and it did involve killing someone."

Marin stared up at him, her eyes huge. "It...hurt.... it made me want to cry...." she admitted in a whisper, twisting her small fingers nervously in her coverall.

He took her hand and held it. "Death is just as important as Life," he told her. "You may be too young to understand it now, but you eventually will. Feeling a death in the Force is expected, but if you can tune it out to where it does not affect you so...with the right training."

Her small face creased into a frown. "What kind of training..... You said something about Mandalorian training too, is that the same?" She carefully sounded out the long word, looking up into his face. He was the first person who'd ever cared about her.

"It will be a combination of things," Jarius told her. "The majority of your training will be in the Mandalorian way, how to fight...with your hands and with different weapons. There are other ways that I am going to teach you, the Cataani way of being able to move silently, swiftly... Then there are some things that I am going to teach you that are of a special way...that of the Jedi."

"I'd like that...." she said quietly, curling her small fingers into his as she studied his face, almost as if searching it for something. After a moment, she seemed satisfied. "So....now what...?"

"As I said before," he told her. "For your training, you're going to need a different attire. We will return to Coronet just long enough to see about some items. Then, we're leaving the system."

She frowned and tensed briefly at the mention of Coronet. "Do we have to go back there...?" She hated that place and had hoped never to go back. "What items?" she asked curiously, fidgeting with rolling up the sleeves of her too-large coverall.

"A proper-sized set of clothes for one." He stood up and started to walk towards the cockpit. "And you will need more than one..."

"At least it was clean...." she said and smiled up at him. After a moment's thought, she followed and slid into the empty chair that stood beside his. She couldn't remember having been on a ship, and she looked around wide-eyed, resisting the urge to play with the colorful buttons.

He looked at her expression as he followed her gaze over the different controls. "Yes," he said as he started up the engines. "You will also be learning how to fly and navigate."

"Me....?" She stared at him, wide-eyed. "I can barely reach..."

"Not now...all things will come in time."

Marin just stared. For the first time in her life, here was someone who was allowing her to learn and explore.... something she'd never been able to do before. She studied the control board for a moment before she tucked her feet up and turned to watch Jarius, hoping she wasn't staring.

He paid no mind, knowing she was curious about everything, as he brought the ship out of the bay on repulsorlifts before cutting in the sublight drive to take the ship out of the atmosphere. Once the ship was clear, he brought it around to head for Corellia. It wouldn't take long.

Marin watched him in silence, her thoughts filled with the events of the last day. Finally, she decided to ask him. "Jarius..... what's so different about the Manadalorians? What's the armor mean and all that?"

Jarius smiled slightly. "Well, the Mandalorians are a warrior people. We live by a code called the Resol'nare - the Six Actions. These are what make one Mandalorian." He thought for a moment and then recited them, translating as he did so.

"_Ibic cuyir te Resol'nare _(this [is] the Six Actions): _Ke'juri beskar'gam_ (Wear armor). _Ke'jorhaa'i Mando'a_ (Speak Mandalorian). _K'ara'novo aliit_ (Defend the family). _Ke'gaa'tayli aliit bralir_ (Help the clan to succeed). _Ke'ba'juri sa Mando'ade_ (Raise children as Mandalorians)._ Ke'shekemi haar Mand'alor_ (Rally to the cause of the Mand’alor)."

"As to the armor - _beskar'gam_ itself? To us, it helps to remind us of our ancestors, the Taungs. They were the original Mandalorians. It's also a tool, and a symbol of one's family...." He pointed to the sigil on his left shoulder plate. "That is the symbol of my clan."Then he grinned. "Not to mention, it gives us a bit of mystique. The _aruetiise_ \- non-mandos - are afraid of us because of the armor and the reputation my people have."

Marin gaped at him. "Well, I was certainly scared when I saw you. But, I know better now. Will I get some armor too?"

"In time," he told her. "But it is something you earn. When you have, with my supervision and assistance, you will make it. This way, it is made for yourself and only you. In time, everything you carry is going to be items that play to whatever your strengths will be."

"That... makes sense, I guess. No use having something if it's just.. there. Might as well be useful." She leaned back and pondered that for a moment. It sounded...complex. When she looked up again, she saw they were approaching a planet, Corellia she assumed.

"We'll be in Coronet City in a few minutes," he told her. "We will not remain long, however."

"Should I go change back into my other clothes? I guess I look a bit silly wearing something this big..." She flushed. At the time, she'd only wanted something clean.

He tapped the side of his helmet. "The helmet is not just for show, the built-in scanners recorded everything I needed. And I can move faster on my own for now."

She grinned a little. "That's useful. I guess I'll stay here then. Still tired...." She didn't mention that she was still trying to adjust to being around him, but figured he could probably guess.

* * *

He returned a short while later, a duffel over his shoulder that he gently set down on the deck.

"These will work fine," he said as he closed and locked down the boarding ramp. "Its heavy, but you should be able to take it into your cabin."

Marin raised an eyebrow but nodded and hefted it. It _was_ heavy, but once she got her balance, she took a cautious step. With a nod, and a quiet "Thank you..." she hauled it into her cabin, dropping it on the floor next to her bunk with a sigh. Sinking down to a cross-legged posture on the deck, she unzipped the duffel. It was almost as big as she was.

Her eyes widened in surprise as she began pulling items from it, and laying them on the bunk, and the deck around her. There were several sets of clothes, including a few coveralls, two pairs of boots, some small knives, that looked like they could be hidden easily, and several other items, some of which she wasn't sure what they were for. Grabbing a pair of boots and one of the sets of clothes, she changed quickly before she put the rest back. Then she made her way back out into the corridor, looking for Jarius.

"Now you look presentable," he said from the cockpit as he started to warm the engines up once again to prepare to leave Corellia. "Have a seat in the copilot's chair. How much do you know about things outside of Coronet?"

Silently, Marin slid into the empty seat, chewing her lip, and drawing up her knees. "Not much really. Coronet's all I can remember..." She shrugged apologetically and ran her fingers through her dark hair.

He nodded as he thought about how to start her education as well as her training. "I suppose we can begin with the basics. Out of all of the powers in the galaxy, there are only a few that are the most important. Are you aware of these?"

She frowned, thinking. She didn't really know much, except what for she heard in the occasional news broadcast or from people in the market. "I.... don't know a lot about it, but I've heard the Republic mentioned a lot.... not much else..."

"Yes, the New Republic is the largest influence...second would probably be the Imperial Remnant..."

"I don't know much about them, really. I've heard more about the Republic, with occasional references to the Jedi..."

He nodded as he piloted the ship out of the system, entering in coordinates for their first jump. After a few moments, he pulled the lever and watched the lines start to form as they entered hyperspace.

"So... where are we going now....?" She brushed her hair out of her face and watched the starlines for a moment as she turned one of the small knives over in her fingers.

"Home," he said as he looked over all the systems, then glanced at her. "Be careful, Marin. They are not as sharp as we will make them, but they are still sharp enough to do damage."

She nodded and looked up at him. "I know... I taught myself how to use a knife when I was 4..... I had to." She turned her left hand palm up and showed him a faint scar across her palm. "Had to learn the hard way..." She shrugged.

He looked at the scar. "You'll learn more," was all he said.

Marin flushed slightly before pulling her hand gently from his grip. She still felt that Jarius was perhaps being a little distant. But something told her that perhaps that was how most Mandalorians were with people they didn't know well. "You said home.... is that Mandalore, or Cataan?" she asked after a moment, looking back out at the stars.

"One of Cataan's colony systems," he said as he pulled a holomap of the galaxy, highlighting the area labeled as Cataani space. "The outermost planet. It is forested and habitable, but not used. Most of the colony's commerce and activity are on the inner planets. We'll be safe there."

Her eyes widened. "So... it's just going to be... _us_?"

He nodded. "There are times when we need to do business with some of the inner planets, but we will remain on the outer planet. Other than that, there will be times when I will be called upon for a contract somewhere in the galaxy. Depending on what is involved and how your training progresses, you may come with me or continue practice on your own."

"That's... a lot of space..." she said finally and then grinned. "I always liked exploring. Just didn't get a chance to much before now." She frowned. "What kind of contracts... are they always bounties?"

"You'll be able to explore...in fact, it will be part of your training. And, no, they are not always bounties. There are calls for temporary protection, training....and there are some for assassination, but those are few and I do not accept many of them when they come."

"So why the Selonia one?" she asked softly, looking at her hands. For her six-year-old mind, it was hard to reconcile the fact that he was gentle and caring, yet capable of such things.

He sighed just a little. "That one was a special case," he told her. "There had been a case of civil war on a planet in the extreme edge of the Outer Rim. One of the factions hired the man I was after to plant explosives in the shelters that were taking in refugees from the other side. The other side, when it was revealed about what really happened, quietly placed a bounty on him and personally requested that I be the one to take it."

She frowned, “I felt him die...”

He nodded once more. "That would be the Force talking to you..."

"But how could I be sensitive to it? I don't even know who my parents were, or if they were Jedi......" She sighed, and drew her knees up, resting her chin on them.

"One does not need to have Jedi as parents...or even have Jedi in the family...for them to feel and touch the Force," he told her. "It chooses who it wills to be able to be sensitive to it. Not all who have the ability are Jedi."

"I suppose that makes sense...." she said softly, still looking out the forward viewport. She was silent a moment. "So.... what kind of stuff will I be learning first...?"

"A little bit of everything," he told her. "Not just things related to the way."

She smiled and then looked thoughtful for a moment. "Don't know if I have anything else I need to do before we get there...."

"There is a holopad in the galley with basic materials already loaded," he told her. "The ship can handle itself while we're in hyperspace and it will take an hour to reach our first waypoint. We won't be home for several hours."

"Well, I guess I better start reading then..." she told him with a smile as she rose, and surprised herself by slipping her small hand into his. There was something about him that told her she could trust him.


	3. Chapter 3

"Here we are," he said as she entered the cockpit several hours later. He had just brought the ship out of the last hyperspace jump and entered the system. "The Tanagis system, outermost of Cataan's colonies."

Marin slid into her customary seat, staring out at the planet below them, the mottled brown and green marble below them. Hesitantly, she poked a few buttons on the console, trying to bring up info on the planet.

"Panel on your right," he told her.

She blushed. "Sorry.." she said softly, hoping she hadn't accidentally activated the weapons or something. Chewing her lip thoughtfully, she studied the indicated panel, slowly typing in her request.

He looked to see which console she had touched earlier and made a few minor adjustments.

"No harm done," he told her as she was punching in her request. "It would have just made the cabin a little cooler."

Her face reddened in embarrassment. "Sorry..." she said again. "I haven't had much experience with computers before..."

"Eventually, you'll learn everything about this ship and know your way around a computer. It will take time, but you will.”

Marin nodded, nervously chewing her lip for a moment as she watched the mottled marble of the planet grow larger in the forward viewport. "So... what happens after we land?"

"There is another room there that you can use for your quarters," Jarius told her. "There is a sparring area in the hangar, a range where you'll learn your blaster weapons. Also, there are other areas around the planet that we'll travel to for different parts of your training."

"I get my own room again...?" Her tone was breathlessly excited. She was really enjoying the space after the year or so sharing a dormitory with the other orphans.

He looked at her, noting her excitement and understood. This was all new to her. She could barely sit still, and after a moment, she decided to go and gather duffle he'd given her the day before.

It didn't take too long for him to settle through the atmosphere and start heading for the entrance to the hangar, covered and concealed by the growth and trees that covered the area. It a few minutes, they were inside and he started to power down the engines.

Marin had felt the ship settle, even how gentle it was. As soon as she knew they were down, she headed towards the hatch and waited for him, the duffle over her shoulder.

He walked into the corridor, a duffle of his own in hand and his helmet back on. Without a word, he unlocked and began lowering the boarding ramp so they could exit.

She followed him, looking out at the lush forest beyond the hangar as her feet touched the permacrete. For a moment, she just stood there, inhaling the crisp air. After a moment, she looked up at him and slipped her hand into his.

He noticed this and looked at her. _ 'Probably the closest thing she's ever had to a father'_ he thought as he nodded and closed his hand a little around hers to let her know. "Through the door, last left down the hall."

With a nod, Marin made her way from the hangar, following his directions until she came to her destination.

He watched her go down the hall and started to head to his room, setting his bag down on the bed in the room. He walked over to an old wooden casement that stood tall against the wall and opened the doors. Taking his helmet off and putting in on the special shelf at the top of the open area.

With a sigh, Marin sank onto the bunk, noting the neatly folded blanket and sheets on the end. Sheets.... she'd never had any. With wide eyes, she pulled the stack to her and ran her fingers over the soft fibers. After a few moments, she set them aside and pulled the duffel onto the bed, sorting through it as she began to put her clothes and other things away on the shelves she could reach.

Grunting, Marin sat down on the edge of the bunk and pulled off her boots, wincing. They'd pinched her toes a little bit, but she hoped that they would form to her foot before too long. There had even been towels in the duffel. She grabbed two and ducked into the fresher that she'd spotted along the back wall of her room.

With a grin, she noticed that there was a second set of controls set at a height that she could reach. She pondered for a moment what that could mean, but shrugged and pulled off the coverall and dumped it in the laundry before she turned on the water.

Heading back into the hall, he started to hear the sounds of a shower starting, so he heading into the living area of the safehouse and sat down at a computer terminal and logged in for a moment, checking accounts and messages before he logged out and went to the kitchen to start making some _behot_.

Marin stood under the hot water for several minutes, letting it wash the grime off her skin and relax her muscles before she turned it off and padded back into her room, pulling on a loose tunic and pants that had been part of what he'd gotten for her along with her boots before she brushed her hair out and pulled it back into a ponytail. Hanging her towels on a hook that had been placed near the door to the 'fresher, she slipped out into the hallway, the smells of food drawing her towards the kitchen.

"I don't know when was the last time you had a warm meal," he said as she entered the kitchen, just as he was finishing putting ingredients into the pot. "This will take just a little bit."

"I..... honestly don't know...." she admitted quietly, slipping into one of the chairs around the table, her cheeks flushed slightly in embarrassment. "Mostly, it was whatever I could....steal. The orphanage didn't really feed us much."

He shook his head at the comment, stirring the contents of the pot as they began to heat. "If the Corellians put as much effort into their other programs as they do CorSec and their Defense Force, it would be completely different for you." He checked the pot and grabbed two bowls and put bread on the table before he started to dip some stew into the bowls.

She shrugged. "I'm just glad to be away from there.... so many of the others were...... scared of my...abilities...." She looked down at the table for a moment.

He nodded again as he set the bowls on the table and started to sit in his chair, reaching for a spoon. "People have always been afraid of what they do not understand. Always have, and will always do so."

"It was......scary at times..... When I first started manifesting my abilities, they kinda freaked." Her left hand unconsciously slid down over her side, over a long scar that ran diagonally across her stomach, though it was well hidden under her tunic.

It caught his attention instantly. "Attacked because of it?"

She nodded silently, looking down into the steaming contents of her bowl before she took a slow bite. It sure smelled good, and it made her stomach rumble as she lifted the spoon to her mouth and took a bite. After a moment, she spoke. "I was...five, I think. Things just started.... happening. At the time, I couldn't control it, and they kinda freaked out... They...came at me with a knife..." She broke off, biting her lip as she tried not to cry.

"Hence why you started to learn how to handle one yourself," he said, more statement than anything else as he took some bread and started eating. "It is a handy weapon to know."

She nodded. "It was my only option at the time... .and why I kept the knife hidden....."

"Till it broke on my armor," he said half-jokingly. "Those that I got you will do for training, but eventually we'll fashion you some that will be suited for only you."

She laughed a little. "Well, I hadn't counted on going up against someone in armor....." She smiled at that. "I'd like that. I think I have a talent for the knife..."

"There are many different weapons that you will learn."

"I know...." she said with a smile. "It's just the first one I learned, so I'm comfortable with it." She fell silent then, turning back to her stew. It was delicious and filling, the meat had soaked up some of the broth, but was still very savory. She ate until she couldn't, and was surprised that she saw the bottom of her bowl.

"There is more," he said as he motioned to the pot.

* * *

"You're used to knives from the Coronet streets," he said as they came to a stop in a section of the woods not far from the hangar. "But you have never picked up - much less fired - a blaster before in your life. Correct?"

Marin nodded. "I've never used one before... not even really sure how they work, to be honest.." She tucked her shoulder-length dark hair behind her ears as she looked up at him.

He pulled out a small holdout blaster, a good enough size to fit her hand. "The safety is here," he said as he knelt down and showed her all of the main points on the blaster. "As well as the selector switch for stun and kill. Rear sight is here...front sight here. When you line it up, it should look like this...." He held it at her eye level to see how they lined up. "With me so far?"

"Mhmm." She nodded, reaching out with her small hand to locate each element as he pointed it out. When he held the blaster up to her eye level, she squinted, looking through the sight. A gasp of surprise fell from her lips. "Everything looks... big!"

"It will for a while, because you're young," he said with a chuckle. "They'll seem small later. Okay, take the blaster in your hands....do not touch the trigger until I say."

She nodded, and carefully took the blaster from him, wrapping her fingers around the grip, and laying her index finger along the barrel like she'd seen him do. Slowly, she lifted it to her eye level again, nervously checking to make sure she'd pointed away from them.

He corrected her grip just slightly, to match what he'd always been trained. "Remember the positioning....in time, it'll be second nature. Always keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot. And always grip it two-handed...never use a single-handed unless it is necessary."

Marin nodded again, studying how he'd adjusted her hand positioning. "Why one-handed as a last resort...?" she asked curiously.

"Two-handed gives you a more stable shooting platform," he told her. "And I said 'necessary'...there will be situations where you'll need to shoot one-handed."

She pondered that for a moment before she nodded, steadying her left hand with her right and she sighted down the short barrel. It did make it easier to see things through the sights.

"Okay, there is your target, fifty yards downrange," he said as he pointed in the direction to a target he'd set up earlier. "I'm not looking for a center shot right now. I just want you to get used to shooting it."

"Alright..." Marin adjusted her grip slightly, unconsciously spreading her feet as she sighted on the target he'd indicated. A bead of sweat traced down her forehead as she lifted the barrel, taking a slow breath before she squeezed the trigger.

He pulled a set of field glasses and checked the target. "Good hit for your first shot. Good stance as well. Okay, keep firing."

Nervously chewing her lip, she nodded and adjusted her stance a little bit, taking another slow breath before she fired again - twice.

He was starting to become more impressed as these two shots were grouped close to the first. "Very good precision....now, lower your aim just a bit."

For a moment, she frowned, sighting along the barrel as she studied the target through it. After a moment, she lifted the blaster to firing position again, though not as high as before. Again, two shots found their way to the target before she lowered the small weapon and wiped at her forehead.

He looked downrange with the field glasses and could not help but smile. "Very, very good for your first try. Are you sure you've never fired a blaster before?"

"Yes...." she said, looking up at him. "I didn't have access to one..... all I could ever get my hands on was a knife."

"A past life maybe," he said quietly with a smile. "Check your charge level."

Glancing down, she noticed the power level indicator had fallen to about 75%. "I've got about ...75% charge left....."

"You have about fifteen shots left," he told her. "Do you want to put the rest downrange?"

Marin shrugged, grinning a little. "Why not...?" She checked where he was, adjusting her grip on the small blaster as she pointed it at the ground, like she'd seen him do. Then, she adjusted her stance and lifted the blaster again, sighting down the length of the barrel. After a moment, she began firing, this time in groups of three - until the charge was exhausted.

"Very good....now, if you'll excuse me," he said as he holstered the blaster and popped up a fresh target. "My turn to practice."

With a nod, Marin stepped away from her stop, and found a rock to sit on as she watched him. She noticed that he'd set down the field glasses, and she picked them up, holding them to her eyes as she studied the target.

He had his eyes closed for a moment, relaxing just a little bit. His hand was a blur as it went to the custom blaster as his right thigh. As it cleared the holster, his left hand went to grip and his eyes met up with the sights, keeping it lined up. As soon as the top of the sights reached the center of the target, he fired three shots in rapid succession.

Marin gasped, almost dropping the field glasses. _'How had he moved so fast.....?'_

He holstered the blaster, waited for a moment, and repeated the action again without breaking timing. Three more times, he repeated the same method till the charge was used up. Knowing how his shots lined up, he ejected the powerpack from the grip and slammed another one home before he holstered the blaster again.

Marin just sat there, watching him. After a moment, she slowly opened up, and then she ...felt him. That was a huge shock to her. She'd never felt anyone that strong before. And even when she'd hidden on his ship, she been so closed down that she'd barely felt him.

"You're not the only one sensitive to the Force," he told he as he kept looking downrange. "I am too."

She just gaped at him. It was a minute or two before she found her voice. "I.... didn't know...... Is that why you offered to take me off Corellia...?"

He nodded softly. "Part of it. With the ability to touch the Force comes a great responsibility, like nothing anyone else who doesn't feel it will ever know."

"And.... the rest....?" she asked quietly, looking up at his face as she wrapped her arms around her knees.

"I don't know how I can explain it to you," He told her as he sat down next to her. "The Force lets one who can touch it do things that are considered extraordinary. It can be the way to doing great things...

or unspeakable horrors."

"So.....why even offer it to me? I'm just a kid?" The question was blunt but honest

"Growing up on the streets of Coronet, how do you think you would have ended up?" Before she could answer, he asked a few more questions. "Would you have known what the right thing to have done would be? Or would you grow thinking and acting only for yourself...leave everyone else to their own?"

"Probably more worried about just surviving...." she admitted after a moment, looking at her hands. "But I've always tried not to hurt people.... even though I was stealing to eat..."

"Whatever comes in your heart," he told her. "The Force can amplify it. There have been great people...and there have been those that are responsible for terrible things. Your desire to try not to hurt people...when you've told me you've acted only in defense...that's important. And it reinforces the fact that I made a sound decision to offer you another life."

Again she nodded, thinking about that. She was glad that she was away from that... hell. There were some events in her past she wished had never happened, but now she had a chance to move on. After a few minutes of contemplative silence (as much as a six-year-old could handle), she stood. "I'm glad you gave me the offer of a new life, Jarius..." Her words were soft but sincere as she slipped her hand into his again.

He held hers for a moment. "There was a purpose for our meeting on the ship. The Force works in mysterious ways," he told her softly. "Let's go back inside, and we'll cover some other things before lunch."

"Okay." She looked up at him, curling her fingers around his as the walked back inside. "Can I help with lunch? I'm not the best, but...."

"Good time then." He said as they walked inside the hangar. He went into a separate room, pulling the holdout blaster and its holster out and placed it in its spot on the rack. After putting the powerpack for it and his blaster into the proper chargers, he closed the door and secured it before heading into the kitchen.

Marin was already waiting for him, swinging her feet back and forth above the floor from the stool she sat on. She was still having to find ways to bring things to her height.

He smiled and pulled a pan out from its place and started to see about a few ingredients out for a simple lunch.

Marin leaned against the counter, watching him with interest. "How can I help?"

"There's a container of boonta spice on the rack behind you," he said as he started to warm the pan. "Its labeled."

"Okay..." Marin looked around and spotted the rack. Clambering easily down from the stool, she pushed it over to the other counter and climbed up again, sounding out the words on the labels until she found the right one. Climbing down from the stool again, she walked over and set it on the counter next to him.

He nodded, making another note on things to teach her. "One of the things I was told when I started learning, and has helped me out," he said as he started to sprinkle a little of the seasoning on some meat before he started rubbing it in. "Is that you want to be careful with how much seasoning you use. Too much and you overpower the taste of the meat." That done, he put it in the hot pan to start cooking it.

"And if you don't use very much, it can make it... bland?" she asked, pulling the stool back over before she perched on it again, watching as he worked. She made a face when she mentioned bland food.

"It can," he said as he flipped the meat to cook the other side. "It always depends on what you're cooking."

Marin chewed her lip in thought. "I've never really had meat before until.... yesterday. Mostly it was just porridge at the orphanage, or fruit and veggies I could... swipe easily."

"Its a good source of energy, along with some other things," Jarius told her. He finished with the meat and kept the pan hot as he took out a package of certain vegetables and put them in the pan to sear.

She smiled. "That stew you made yesterday was good... what was that...?"

“The vegetables are from one of the inner planets. I do some occasional trading with them from time to time....all the meat is the local wildlife."

"It was good... and I wasn't hungry later..." she told him with a smile.

"You've been used to what they had at the orphanage...which would probably not even fill a Given...and they don't have to eat."

That really made her giggle. But he was right. "It always left me hungry..... and I always kinda felt tired later..."

"Later on, you'll get an idea of what will keep you going for a while."

He finished searing the vegetables and split them with the meat on two plates, reaching over to grab some bread to go with them.

Climbing down from the stool again, Marin pushed it back to the island before she went to the table. "That smells really good..." she admitted, feeling her mouth water in anticipation, just from the aroma.

"Just as simple as it can be," he said as he put the plates on the table. "A simple meal can be the best....or so I've heard the Lady Karrde say one time anyway."

"Who's that.....?" Marin asked, frowning slightly as she took a napkin.

"That's right," he said, remembering that she was new to many things. "There is a Jedi family on Cataan..the homeworld for this colony system and several others. The matriarch of the family has shared recipes over the local net before...it is one of her sayings. They are a well-known family to just about all Cataani."

She nodded. "Sounds like she knows cooking..." When he set the plate down in front of her, Marin had to bite down hard on the instinct to just dive in. Taking a slow breath, she began eating, but slower than her instincts wanted her to.

"Slow is good," he told her. "You eat too fast and you'll start to feel sick."

Marin flushed. "Sorry..."

He gave a sign of it being alright and started eating himself.


	4. Chapter 4

"Show me your grip again," he said as she stood there with one of the knives in her hand. "Take your stance like this," Jarius told her as he stood next to her and kept his feet apart a certain distance and his hands in certain positions. "It's a general stance where you can go on either on the defensive or offense easily."

Nodding, Marin tightened her grip around the knife, adjusting her feet as best as she could. She wobbled for a moment until her balance settled.

"Might take a moment, but you'll get used to it," he told her. "From this, you can counter any kind of move one approaches you with easy. This goes for unarmed combat as well as armed."

She thought about that a moment. "If you hadn't had your armor on the other day, could I have hurt you?"

He smiled at the question. "You possibly could have. You did surprise me and, had I not had the armor on, you could have done some damage."

She was quiet for a moment. "It was instinct after having lived on the streets for so long......"

"And a good one," Jarius told you. "Your instinct, as well as your training, will help you greatly. With the Force, you will be able to anticipate your opponent's moves...be able to defend and counter faster than they'll expect."

"But.... how... Like I was able to... track you...?"

"Exactly," he told her. "Extend your senses out and you will be able to get a 'feel' for your opponent. In time, you'll be able to anticipate their moves and be able to respond quick enough, you will surprise and even intimidate them."

She frowned slightly, concentrating. It was the same as before, but this time, she reached further. She felt Jarius next to her, but she also felt other.... pinpricks. The creatures of the forest maybe?

"Good," he said to her softly as he kept tabs on her concentration. "Right now, you'll feel many things...with practice, you'll be able to single out certain ones."

Marin nodded. "You feel.... brighter, but I can feel other pinpricks.... the animals?"

He closes his eyes for a moment. "It would seem so....strange...they've never come this close. Your presence attracting them, perhaps."

"Should I be worried that they're so close....?" she asked with concern as her thumb traced the tooled hilt of her knife.

* * *

Jarius opened up a casement in the weapons room and pulled out a bottle of oil and a rag, then went to pull out a long section of wood out and a section of specialized string. Without saying much, he dabbed a small portion of oil on the rag and began to wipe the wood down from one end to the other...

Marin watched intently, not really saying much. She got the feeling this wood had meaning for him somehow. Silently, she tucked her feet up under her on the bench that ran the middle of the room. "What is that?" she asked after a moment, pointing with her chin towards the wood he was holding.

"An old Cataani war bow," he said as he finished oiling the wood and took a loop on one of the ends of the line and looped it around one end. He set that end on the floor and grasped the other end of the string. Carefully, he put his right leg between the bow and string, starting to bend the bow till he could loop the other end into place. He gripped the bow and pulled the string back as if he was fixing to fire slowly and brought it back to rest slowly, then repeated it a few more times to test the draw strength.

"What's a ....bow?" she asked, screwing her face up a little as she watched him curiously.

He chuckled softly. "Its an old weapon of war, long, long time before blasters were even thought of," he said as he pulled a quiver out of the casement. "These shafts are arrows. You can see the tips at the end." He pointed to where a broadhead was at one end of the arrow.

"And you aim them with the bow?"

"Aye," he told her. You place the arrow on the bow and nock it on the string like this...." He showed her as he set the arrow into place. "You grip the string like so, one finger above the arrow, two below." Again, he showed her. "You take the bow and hold it at arm's length and pulled the string till the arrow nock touches your cheek or comes close. The aim is a little different than most would think and you fire by releasing the string. Depending on the bow and string, you could hit something from a good distance away."

She thought a moment, comparing it to the blaster and the knife that she'd learned a few months back. She'd gotten good with both. "Would it be quiet, like the knife? The blaster you could hear the safety turning off."

"Very quiet," he told her. "But this isn't used for contracts."

"It's not? Why?" she asked simply.

"We're going to need some more meat soon," he told her as he put the quiver over his shoulder. "Cataani tradition, no modern weapons are used for the hunt."

Marin cocked her head sideways, studying the bow for a moment. "Will I need to bring anything?"

"Only your knife," he said as he hung his blaster belt on the rack and checked his knife on his left side. "Ready?"

Marin nodded and stood, checking the small knife attached to her belt. It was about the length of her spread fingers. She tugged momentarily on her boots, wiggling her toes. "Now I'm ready, Jarius."

"Alright, we walk softly and at a slow pace. If you need to talk, do it very quietly."

They walked out of the weapons room into the hangar and started to take the trail out of the hangar. He looked up closed his eyes for a moment, stretching his senses out to get a feel of what was where.

"South," he said as he opened his eyes and started walking down the trail in the right direction.

Marin frowned for a moment, reaching out as he had done. She was still hesitant when doing so, but she was getting better at distinguishing the animals. He was right, there did seem to be a concentration of the local wildlife in that direction. Following close behind him, she kept her left hand near her knife, continuing to trace the pinprick presence of the animals.

He kept the trail, walking slowly, looking around for sign..and started seeing signs of it as they reached an opening along a cliff face, heading down towards a river. "Several passed through here," he whispered to her as he pointed to the sign...scrapings along a tree just near the entrance.

Marin followed where he pointed and saw the faint markings. After studying them for a moment, she stuck her finger in her mouth and wet it, holding it out to test the wind. "Wind's coming from the west..." she said after a moment.

"They're down along the riverside," he told her as he started to look and see the direction they went in. "They went west...the wind will work in our favor. We'll stay on the cliff. Quiet now, we don't want to spook them." He picked a line through the trees and drew an arrow to set into the bow before he started to walk through the trees along the path their quarry took.

With a nod, Marin carefully followed in his footsteps, stepping where he did. She wasn't entirely successful, and she cursed silently as she stepped on a twig and it snapped. "Sorry," she mouthed.

He paused, nodding very slowly, as he looked down along the river bank and listened. He could hear a faint rustling farther down the river.

Marin bit her lip, trying to slow her pounding pulse. Her cheeks flamed with embarrassment, and she sank into a crouch, knowing they would probably have to wait it out.

He crept up the trail very slowly, cautiously placing his feet on the ground, his eyes keeping an eye down the river bank. For a moment, he could see them, just at the edge of the water. There were several stopped for a drink, but one...a trophy-sized one from the looks of him...had his head up and looking back up the river bank they had walked down._ 'He's suspicious'_ Jarius thought as he stayed still.

Marin stayed crouched where she was, watching Jarius' progress in the gathering twilight. She too could sense the jolt of alertness. Silently, she drew her knife, holding it ready with the blade pointed behind her and towards the ground.

He edged a little closer. The trophy was the one he'd chosen to take and he kept his eyes on it as he moved just a little closer. _'He's spotted something,'_ he thought as he stayed perfectly still. Patience was going to win this contest.

Still, Marin waited. She didn't want to screw this up. Not now. They needed the meat. Her stomach rumbled quietly in protest at the thought of a diet of purely bread and fruit. Biting her lip, she stayed where she was, watching, and learning from what Jarius was doing.

As if it heard it, the stag started a dead run as fast as he could... _'Towards us!'_ Jarius thought as it passed his place. _'What luck!' _He started in a flat run, passing Marin as he kept his eyes switching between the stag and his path. He kept both hands on the bow and string as he kept running hard along the cliffside.

Marin let out a silent gasp as she felt the shift. It was as if it had been a summons. She rose on the balls of her feet, gripping her knife in a rear grip. She could feel the buck moving closer, and Jarius moving alongside it. Waiting for a few heartbeats, she was poised on the balls of her feet. Just when she felt the buck passing her hiding place, she lunged, purely on instinct. She felt her knife hit the hide, and then slice cleanly through a tendon before she backed away, breathing hard.

He kept pace with it, looking up ahead to see that he was fixing to run out of cliff very soon....the sloped downward and met the riverbank, but it wasn't a good grade to keep running over. He kept his eyes switching back and forth, seeing where he was going to have to make his move. His senses were wide open now, taking in every ounce of energy...every sight and scent...

_...this was a moment a Cataani lived for..._

He took a running leap off of the cliff face, pulling the arrow back as far as he could while he was in the air. It was as if time slowed to a crawl as he lined up to where he pictured the stag would end up and held it there for a long moment before he released the string.

It almost sang as the arrow flew so fast through the air, straight and true as it went right where he wanted it, hitting the stag in the prime spot, just behind his shoulders. The force of the strike and the cutting power of the ultra-sharp broadhead caused the animal to stumble and fall.

It hit the ground at the same time that Jarius' boots hit. He went forward, almost in a roll, using his hands to flip himself over and landed upright on his feet and taking in deep breaths of air and started to slow his breathing and pulse down. Now, that he was this close to it, the size of the stag amazed him. _'I've never seen you along these trails before....amazing.'_

Marin watched, dumbfounded as Jarius took down the stag. Clutching her bloodied knife, she crept quietly closer, spotting where she had slashed it, hamstrung it, really. And it had still been able to make the jump.

[We are sorry to kill you, brother,] he said softly to the stag as he walked up to it and crouched down. [But we honor your courage, your speed, and your strength.] He pulled the arrow from the hide and wiped the blood on the fur before he put it back into his quiver. Setting the bow down, he drew his knife to begin the work.

For a long moment, Marin sat on her heels, watching. She felt drawn to reach out and touch the fur softly with her fingers as she felt it pass. [We thank you for the gift of strength you give us.] were her own soft words as she watched Jarius work.


	5. Chapter 5

Jarius finished dressing the deer in a corner of the hanger that he had set up just for the purpose, with a tiled area that was easier to clean up. With that done and pieces cut, it didn't take him long to clean and sanitize the corner and put the pieces in to freeze.   
  
Marin perched on one of the crates, watching intently. She'd had a hard time at first, and had to fight the urge to gag. She was calmer now. After a moment's thought. she followed Jarius to the freezer, leaning against the outer frame of the door. "Jarius. I was meaning to ask you... I noticed that here there are shower controls and other things set at the right height for kids."  
  
He paused at the comment, thinking about how he'd answer that before he finished putting the pieces into the freezer and closed it.   
  
"I wasn't always _Mando'ad_...or a solitary bounty hunter," he started to say softly. "I...I once had a family...a great love." He closed his eyes as he remembered it..."They were taken from me."  
  
Marin bit her lip as she felt the grief well up in him for a moment. She hesitated and then tugged on his hand, pulling him down to her level so that she could wrap her arms around him. "I'm sorry, I didn't know," she said softly.  
  
"I suppose I must talk about it sometime," he said as he held her. He stayed there for a moment before he walked into the living room area and poured a drink before he sat in the easy chair. "My wife was a pilot herself, working as part of a small civilian transport group between the colony systems," he began to tell her as he motioned her to sit down.  
  
Marin nodded quietly, and sank down onto the couch, tucking her feet under her. "So....what happened?" she asked softly, wondering if that event was what had caused him to become a Mando.  
  
"Partially," he said as he sensed her thought and took a long drink.   
  
"She was on leave, riding on one of the company shuttles to the medical center on Cataan.....carrying what was to be our daughter. The shuttle was leaving orbit and heading for the jump point to return to this system when a bomb was set off in its cargo hold."  
  
"That's awful!" Marin's face showed her horror, and again she slipped her fingers into his. "Who would do something like that ...and why?"  
  
"I found out the who," Jarius answered. "The why still escapes me. There is a group that carries out almost constant attacks against our people. When they first formed ages ago, they were mainly spies and assassins...this day and age, they do anything and everything for anyone who pays for their services."  
  
"I don't know who paid for the contract or why," he kept on. "But I started on a rampage, trying to find out everything I could. At that time, I didn't know about my ability with the Force, so I didn't know it was driving me further and further down a path that I didn't need to take. It finally took a Jedi and a Mando to find me while I was on my 'quest'....they were able to confront me...show me what had become of me...offered me a new path."  
  
He looked off out of the window. "They knew I was an ex-military man....saw how it affected me and both decided to train me," he told her. "The Jedi taught me some of the finer things of the Force...how to use it in the way I needed to. The Mando took me under his wing and saw how similar I was to himself. Trained me in the ways of the Mandalorians which combined with what I already knew from my time in the forces."  
  
That made sense, from what Marin knew of him, and she nodded. "I admit I was pretty scared when I first saw you...it's why I ran..."  
  
He nodded as well. "I've not been able to get over what it almost did to me, my quest for vengeance. It stays with me, especially if I'm out on a contract. It does worry me sometimes...but I'm surprised I've not felt it here lately."  
  
"Do you know why....?" she asked directly, as kids will.  
  
"I was expecting and lost a daughter," he said quietly as he finished his drink. "That's why your room is more setup for someone your size. I suppose it is another reason why I offered you this choice... _Mando'ade _(Mandalorians) consider adoption honorable and just as important as raising your own...."  
  
Marin blushed then. "I'm ...honored that you gave me a second chance. Most wouldn't..."  
  
"I'd like to think that she would be like you," he said, his eyes having a distant look. "And, with all the training we've gone through, I practically consider you a daughter already."  
  
She blushed even more. She had learned a lot. From what she knew of the Mandalorians, they were a proud people but tried to help those they could. "_Vor'entye_...(thank you [formal])" she replied softly, thanking him in the Mandalorian tongue. She'd been studying in her spare time and was glad she'd gotten the pronunciation right.  
  
He nodded and smiled at her words. "Your _Mando'a _(the Mandalorian language_)_ and your Cataani is improving. Come on, its getting later in the day."  
  
Marin nodded and slid off the couch, looking up at him. "Time for bed...?" she asked, hoping he'd say no. She really enjoyed listening to him talk, his voice was soothing.  
  
"Some more studying first," he said as he got up as well. "I need to check to see if there's anything coming up, then I'll be right along."  
  
"Ok." she nodded and moved down the hall to her room as she saw him head towards the computer terminal. She flopped down on her bed on her stomach, leaving the door open as she pulled out her holopad with her lessons on it.  
  
He powered up his terminal and started to enter his login to check for messages. One came up, and he read it carefully... The message wasn't what he'd been expecting. It was from the Mando that had taken Jarius under his wing so many years ago. It was short and to the point. _"I heard a rumor that you'd picked up an adiik (child aged 3-13) on your last contract. If you can spare the time. I'd like to meet her.."_  
  
He nodded and smiled as he typed in a response. "You are always welcome here, my friend. Let me know before you jump in-system so I can give you a course heading." With that sent, he turned off the terminal and went down the hall towards _Mar'ika_'s room.  
  
Marin lay on her bed, engrossed in her holopad, slowly, sounding out some of the longer _Mando'a_ phrases. She felt Jarius coming, but she kept studying, waiting for him to come in.  
  
"We'll probably have a visitor coming at some time," he said as he slowly opened the door.  
  
"A visitor?" Marin looked up, setting down her datapad as she looked up at him. That was odd to her. They'd never had a visitor here in the months that she'd been here. "Who is coming to see us...?" she asked, hopping off her bed, and almost bouncing in her excitement.  
  
"Believe it or not, the _Mando_ that found and trained me," he said as he sat down in the chair in her room. "Apparently he'd heard that I'd found you and would like to meet you."  
  
"Meet.....me?" she asked in surprise. "But why....?"  
  
"I don't know...curiosity, maybe," Jarius told her with a smile. "He knows what I told you...and knows how I was then...probably to check on me just as much as meet you."  
  
Marin chewed her lip, a nervous habit. "That would be....interesting. What's he like?"  
  
"Similar to me, in his own way. He was actually born a _Mando'ad_, known it all his life."  
  
She considered that a moment. "I think I'd like to meet him," she said finally, though she was a little nervous. Jarius was the only person she'd known for months, and it was strange to have someone else show up.  
  
He nodded at that, then turned his attention to her holopad. "What study did you pull up?"  
  
Marin smiled a little and tucked her dark hair behind her ears. "I was working on some more _Mando'a_ vocabulary."  
  
"Alright," he said as they started to work on some of her studies before it was time to sleep. 

* * *

  
Jarius made sure the pot of _behot_ (an herb with astringent properties, a stimulant similar to chai) was fresh when he heard the comm station chirp. Reading that he was close, he came him the course he needed to take to approach the house from a direction that would keep him out of scanner range of the inner planets' net.   
  
"He'll be here in a little while, _Mar'ika_," he called down the hall to Marin.  
  
"Coming ..!" Marin called, flushing in excitement as Jarius used the affectionate form of her name. She came into the kitchen, hopping on one foot as she pulled her boots on. She was dressed in a clean but by now well-used coverall.  
  
He chuckled softly as he poured a cup of _behot_ for them both and pulled out a third cup for their guest. "Nervous?" he asked nonchalantly, knowing she was.  
  
Marin chewed her lip for a moment... a sure sign that she was indeed nervous. "A little... " she admitted, sliding into her seat at the breakfast table. She accepted the warm mug carefully, nodding her thanks as she slipped it slowly.  
  
He smiled and sipped as his own cup, checking his chrono. It wouldn't be too much longer, so he turned on a beacon that was set for a specific frequency.  
  
Aboard his ship, Ethan saw the blinking icon of an incoming message in the corner of his HUD. "Ah, there you are," he said softly as the beacon pulsed to life. It was a pre-arranged frequency that they'd agreed on several years ago. Slowly, he guided the aging _Firespray_ to the coordinates, lowering her gently to the permacrete of the hangar.   
  
The ship didn't leave much space to spare above, but she fit..._barely_. With a muttered curse, he un-clipped his crash webbing and carefully made his way to the hatch. It wasn't as easy as it used to be. _'Shab. you're getting old, Et'ika..'_ With a self-deprecating chuckled, he ambled down the boarding ramp.  
  
"You couldn't have made the hanger a little taller?" Jarius heard as he walked out of the hanger and watched the Mando walking out of the old _Firespray_.   
  
"You couldn't find a more compact ship that could do the same job?" Jarius fired back with a laugh...it was a private joke they always shared.  
  
Ethan chuckled. "You should know better than that, _Jar'ika_. This ship is my life." Ethan glanced around a bit, taking in the hangar and everything else. "Life seems to be treating you rather well, _Jar'ika_." He looked around a moment and then spotted Marin hanging back slightly. She was nervous, as The man hadn't removed his _buy'ce_ (helmet) yet.   
  
Ethan glanced at Jarius before he sank to one knee, putting him to Marin's level. "Come here, _dalyc_, I don't bite.." he said, laughter evident in his words.  
  
Jarius glanced over at her and nodded. "It's okay, Marin," he told her. "This is the one I told you about that found me and trained me."  
  
Marin looked up at Jarius for a moment, chewing on her lip before she nodded, and walked across the room to the older Mando. She stopped an arm's length away, allowing him to get a good look at her. "_Su'cuy gar_.." she said softly. Ethan chuckled. "No need to be so formal, _dalyc._" He reached up and removed his helmet. "I'm Ethan or _Et'ika_ if you prefer. Your name's Marin, is it?"   
  
Marin nodded. "_Elek_...(yes)" she said, looking up at him. His face was older than Jarius', and bore lines of age, much like the sandstone cliffs of Tattooine, as she learned in her studies. His hair was shot through with streaks of grey, but still bore traces of the original dark brown. "It's good to meet you, _Mar'ika_. Jarius has told me that you're a fast learner."   
  
That got Marin to smile, and she relaxed a little. She always liked to learn something new. "He has..." she replied with a smile and a flush of excitement that made Ethan chuckle. He looked to Jarius. "She reminds me of a certain young man I trained long ago, _Jar'ika_..." he told his friend with a grin.  
  
It got Jarius to smile and blush a little at the same time. "Whenever you're ready, I have some fresh _behot_ inside."  
  
Ethan just laughed. "Lead the way, then. I'll just be talking to _Mar'ika_ here." He paused a moment, regarding Marin, and allowing her to get a solid sense of him in the Force before he stood. "Now then, _Mar'ika._ Why don't you tell me what Jarius has been teaching you...." Marin nodded and started telling him about everything thing she had learned. Ethan laughed and had to gently remind her to slow down and breathe. She was still chattering away as they got to the kitchen.  
  
Jarius allowed himself a smile as he refilled his and Marin's cup and filled Ethan a cup. "I found her on Coronet, orphaned." He handed Ethan his cup. "And she has been an exceptionally fast learner with everything I've been teaching her."  
  
Ethan nodded. "_Vor'e _(thanks)...." and took the offered cup, settling back in his chair. he noticed that Marin blushed and ducked her head. He raised an eyebrow. "Ashamed of your past, _Mar'ika_?" he asked gently, gazing at her over the edge of his mug.   
  
Marin shifted a little. "A bit..." she admitted softly.   
  
"Don't be," Ethan said firmly. "You started a new life when Jarius found you. Your past is just that.... the past. Don't let it hold you back in the now." He shared a glanced at Jarius. "It's what we _Mando'ade_ call _Cin Vhetin_. Do you know what that is, _Mar'ika_?"  
  
Jarius sat back in his chair and enjoyed listening... he'd had this talk already with Ethan.  
  
She shook her head, and he continued. "It means a new beginning - a clean slate. When you become _Mando'ad_. your past doesn't matter. Only what you do from that point on. Do you understand, _Mar'ika_?" he asked gently. "I... think so..." Marin said after a moment.  
  
"It's not as easy a concept for some to get ahold of," Jarius said softly.   
  
"Yours is a different case, Jarius," Ethan told him. "Completely different case."  
  
Jarius nodded softly at the comment. It was clear to Ethan that he was still having trouble at times.   
  
"Have you talked to the _Jetiise _(Jedi [plural]) lately?" he asked.   
  
"Not for a while," Jarius told him. "Master Karrde has been needing to deal with some other matters... he's just recently become a grandfather, I hear."  
  
Ethan nodded, keeping his gaze on Marin. He seemed to sense she didn't like people talking about her if she wasn't there. Though he directed his question to Jarius. "Is she Sensitive...?" he asked after a moment.  
  
"Very...." was Jarius' answer. "I've considered talking to the Master Jedi about that as well. I can teach her some things, but others....he would probably be better suited for at his praxeum."  
  
Ethan frowned, regarding Marin for a moment. "If she is to go to the _Jetiise_, I'd much prefer it was Karrde than some of the others. He's more open-minded than most." He considered for a moment. "What kind of skills?" He studied Marin for a moment. "Even with Karrde though, I'm worried." He looked at her again and saw that she returned his gaze squarely. "You don't want to go...do you..?" he asked softly, laying a hand on her shoulder as he looked at her and then to Jarius.   
  
She shook her head, her lower lip quivering. "I like it here..."  
  
Jarius nodded softly at this. "There is one other I had thought to talk to, as he is of both worlds. But I have never met him nor know anything about him other than what you have told me."  
  
Ethan nodded. "I haven't heard much from him lately. Though I have heard rumors that he's been working with Karrde and that he recently married..."  
  
"Xan? Married?" it was enough to almost bring a chuckle out of Jarius.  
  
Ethan laughed then. "Indeed. I never would have thought it possible. He can be rather.....stubborn. From what I hear, he married one of Karrde's former students; Callista I think her name was..." he said, trying to recall the report he'd read.  
  
During all of this, Marin just sat and listened, trying to soak up as much information as she could. If this Xan was anything like Jarius or Ethan, he couldn't be that bad.  
  
"Callista?" Jarius asked. "I think I seem to remember meeting her before...a Jedi herself, isn't she?"  
  
"_Elek_, and Xan brought her to the _Mando_ way," Ethan replied with a nod. "But when could you have met her...? She and _Xan'ika_ are rather inseparable from what I hear," he told Jarius with a grin.  
  
He chuckled a little... "I took the time to see Master Karrde when he opened his new training facility and saw her there."  
  
"Ahhhh." Ethan nodded in understanding and turned to smile at Marin. "I think you'd like Xan, and Callista too from what I understand." He replied to Jarius, "From what Karrde told me, I think she was there for some more training; not sure what else though." He shrugged, not wanting to really get involved in _Jetiise_ affairs.  
  
"I'll try to get in touch with him," Jarius said. "But from what I understand, he's doing more and more intelligence missions these days for the _Jetiise._ I may just do what I can and go from there."  
  
"I suppose that's all you can really do. If he is indeed working Intelligence, I'd think it would be a bit hard to track him down." Ethan thought privately of the reports that Xan was off tracking some Imperials spies or some such.... he wasn't sure what to make of it.  
  
"Well, then," Jarius said as he emptied his cup and got up for another.  
  
"Hmph," Ethan said softly. He never liked talking about such suppositions. "Would it be an inconvenience if I was to stay on for a few days?"  
  
He drained his mug as if it were _netra'gal _(black ale).  
  
Jarius paused for a second to contemplate it. "Not at all... it's a good thing we took that stag yesterday."


	6. Chapter 6

Jarius sat back down after Marin had bedded down for the night. He pulled out a bottle of something stronger than _behot_ and poured himself and Ethan a glass. "I've got something you can help me out on tomorrow, as a matter of fact," he told Ethan as he handed him his glass and sat down.  
  
"_Me'ven_ (hmm)?" Ethan said, raising an eyebrow as he accepted the tumbler, raising it in salute. "_K'oyacyi_ (Cheers)."  
  
"She's very good at hiding her presence from a Force user very well," Jarius started to say. "And I've been showing her how to conceal herself from detection while on the move in a forest setting...which can be harder to do than an urban setting. I'd like to have you test her skills in this...an _outside opinion_, shall we say."  
  
Ethan sat back, regarding Jarius for a long moment as he rubbed his chin in thought. "What guidelines?" he asked after a moment. "If she's caught, I mean..? You know how I tend to operate, _Jar'ika_. I'm a hard teacher.."  
  
"Hmmm," was all Jarius said as he contemplated this. "She is learning the _Mando_ way, but remember her age."  
  
Ethan nodded thoughtfully. "You're right there, but sometimes the best way to learn is to _muun'jabir_ (teach hard). I'm not going to hurt her, but it still needs to be as real as possible." He was silent for a moment, considering. "I have an idea. I think maybe if she is caught, she has to try and get away. It won't be so difficult that she can't, but it will force her to think rather than just relying on the Force."  
  
"And she'll learn to evade sensors and scanners that a potential target might employ," Jarius said as he thought about it more. "I like the concept. Being able to not just hide from the senses, but other means as well. She needs to know it anyway, so sooner rather than later is good."  
  
Ethan frowned. "From what you told me, she didn't have much experience with technology until you found her..." He scratched his chin for a moment. "I have......stun cuffs... or normal cuffs... But this is your exercise... what types of things are you thinking?"  
  
"She's only beginning...we keep it to avoiding sight and sound for now. Work on the technology later on. And the normal cuffs should do."  
  
Ethan nodded, mentally going over things in his head. "I can work with that." He regarded Jarius for a few moments. the older man seemed...excited about the prospect.

* * *

Four hours later, Marin found herself roughly awakened. It was still dark, and she blinked a few times as her eyes adjusted to the dim light. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and looked a question at Jarius. "_Me'ven_? What's going on, _Jar'ika_?" she asked softly.  
  
"Get dressed into the camo coveralls we made for you and meet up with me in the kitchen," Jarius said as he walked out the door and went in to prepare a few things.  
  
"_Elek_..." she said softly to his retreating back as she slid from beneath the warm blankets, her feet hitting the rug before she stepped over to the closet and pulled out the coverall. _'What's going on... another training mission?'_ she wondered as she stuck first one foot and then the other into the coverall, pulling it on and zipping it up before she pulled her boots on. On a hunch, she grabbed a camo bandanna that matched the fabric of her coverall. With that done, she slipped quietly into the kitchen,, seeing Jarius already busy at the stove.  
  
"A warm meal for this morning, but pull some of the dried rations and jerky to put in your pack," he told her as he fixed up a quick breakfast. "Do your warmup and you'll take the northern path out for a good distance. I want Ethan to test your ability to infiltrate and avoid detection. It'll just be basic today, just avoid him hearing or seeing you. Later on, once we've improved your technology use, we'll move it up to avoiding scanners and sensors."  
  
Marin blinked. "Alright." She ran her fingers through her dark hair as she turned towards the storage room, grabbing one of the small packs that hung by the door. With that in hand, she grabbed a package of jerky and a few rations and a few bottles of water. With the bag over her shoulder, she came back into the kitchen, slipping into her customary seat at the table.  
  
He gently set her some breakfast and caf on the table before setting Ethan's and his own on the table.  
  
For a moment, Marin looked up at him. "Will you be helping _Et'ika_ today...?" she asked as she began digging into the bowl of cooked oats. She spotted Ethan out of the corner of her eye as he came into the kitchen wearing black fatigues, his graying brown hair covered by a black bandanna.   
  
He smiled at her. "_Jate Vaar'tur_ (Good morning), _Mar'ika_. I hope you slept well?"   
  
She smiled a little. "I did, _vor'e_."   
  
Ethan nodded. "Don't stress about today. Just use what you know, and what _Jar'ika_ has taught you. You should do fine."  
  
"And I won't be helping him this time," Jarius added in. He had been wearing the camo fatigues that he usually used. "I'll be observing from a distance, seeing how you do."  
  
Her shoulders slumped a little. "Ok." She was silent for a while as she finished eating and cleared her bowl. With that finished, she hugged Jarius for a moment before she slipped away to do her warm-ups.  
  
Ethan looked at her leaving the room and looked to Jarius again. "I'm the closest thing she's had to any kind of parental figure," he told Ethan as he finished his meal and poured him another cup of caf.  
  
Ethan smiled a little at that. "I can identify with that. From what you told me, I think she'll do fine. Just hope she can keep her head." He nodded his thanks and drained the mug of caf before he stood and gripped Jarius' forearm in a warrior's grip. "_Ret_ (bye)', _Jar'ika_. I'll see you when this is over."  
  
"Alright," Jarius told him as he put the dishes away into the washer before he went to grab his own pack, already loaded, and put on his weapons belt, checking his vibroblade and blaster.  
  
With a nod and a wave of his arm, Ethan followed after Marin. Marin herself was already a ways down the trail, moving quickly as she tried to put as much distance between herself and the house as she could. _'You can do this....' _she told herself, thinking back on everything she knew and what Jarius had taught her. After several more minutes, she stopped and ducked carefully off the trail into the underbrush, where she pulled a bottle of water from her pack, taking a long pull on it before she slipped it carefully back into the slot inside her pack. The bag had been designed to carry a lot of gear but was such that nothing would bump into anything else and create noise.  
  
Ethan went up a good distance on the trail before he moved off of it and picked a spot and climbed up on of the trees to act as a kind of sentry post. The objective that Jarius thought of was for the house to act as a location for Marin to 'infiltrate' into, using the skills that Jarius had started to show her to evade detection should she ever have any kind of work to do on a wooded planet. Jarius himself perched on one of the rocks overlooking the area and pulled out a set of macrobinoculars to help him keep track and stretched his senses out to get a feel of Marin's and Ethan's positions.  
  
For a long moment, Marin stayed crouched in the brush, reaching out with the smallest tendril of the Force that she could. She could faintly sense Jarius off to the southeast. Letting out a slow breath, she rose to her feet, shouldering her pack again before she began moving carefully through the underbrush. Since their hunting trip, she'd been practicing moving more carefully. She moved off perpendicular to the northern trail, taking the long way back to the house.  
  
Ethan stayed low on his perch, keeping a keen eye out as he started scanning along the woods. He knew she wouldn't come anywhere close to the path. _'Let's see how easy this will be' _he thought to himself as he kept watching.  
  
Marin paused in the shadow of a tree, feeling as if someone were watching. She crouched, running her fingers along the damp earth. Some of it clung to her fingers, and she wiped her hand across her cheek, leaving a smear of dirt behind. She did the same with the other before she tied the bandanna low on her forehead, knowing her pale skin would show up like a beacon. Standing again, she continued moving east, turning slightly to the south as she got into the denser tree cover.  
  
Ethan turned towards the south just a bit, looking downrange. He thought he had heard something along that line...  
  
Jarius felt it as he looked along the same line. He pulled up the binocs and took a closer look down the line. Barely, he picked up movement going into the cover. _'If I barely saw it with the glasses...'_ he thought to himself. _'She's been improving...practicing on her own, maybe.'_  
  
Again, the feeling of being watched intensified. She felt Jarius' attention turn her way for a moment, but she put it out of her mind. She stopped for a moment to get her bearings in the pre-dawn gloom. Then she started moving again but varied her path. She knew moving in a straight line would give her away faster.  
  
Ethan grabbed the limb that he was on and quietly dropped down to hang off of it. He waited until his body stopped moving before he dropped onto the ground as quiet as the specialized soles of his boots let him.   
  
Cautiously, Marin moved through the trees, hugging the shadows as much as she could. For a long moment, she paused, listening. She could have sworn she heard something...  
  
Ethan moved slowly and quietly, watching every step as he walked cautiously down the direction he believed he needed to head in. Jarius watched him drop from the limb and kept his glasses up, seeing it play out as he kept his senses open...sure to keep any trace of what's going on away from Marin.  
  
Marin froze, listening before she moved again - more carefully. She concentrated a moment but didn't sense much besides that same feeling of being watched. Slowly, she moved farther to the south, back towards the house, trying to watch where she stepped. For a moment, she considered taking to the trees, but she wasn't sure she'd be able to make the jump from branch to branch. Her control of the Force was still tenuous at best.  
  
Ethan was keeping very alert now, taking his steps very carefully and listening for any kind of sound or any trace of movement. She was close, he knew it. Just in case, he lowered himself a little further as he walked carefully.  
  
Sweat trickled down the back of Marin's neck as she kept moving, her hand slipping down to where her knife normally was. She frowned and stopped in the shadow of a large tree to rest a moment. She knew the trying to pull a drink or ration bar from her pack would make too much noise - she remembered how keen Jarius' ears were. It was a few moments before she moved again. And then she sensed it - that feeling of being watched was much stronger. Ethan had to be close..... but she hadn't seen him. She took a step and then froze as she felt the twig under her boot strain. _'Frell.... not again...'_ Carefully, she lifted her foot and set it down again, searching carefully with her toe for a better place to step.  
  
_A rustle....to his right..._ Ethan's head turned in that direction to pick up where exactly he'd heard it. _'Again, right there!' _ And he broke out in a run for a few moments and lunged towards the direction he heard it in.   
  
_'Great....' _Marin chided herself as her senses flared. She felt more than saw the movement, and she ducked sideways, feeling the breeze as his fingers passed within centimeters of her coverall. She slipped carefully around to the other side of the tree, knowing if she moved, he'd hear. Carefully, she crouched and grasped a large pebble, tossing it into the brush as she reached out with the Force, trying to distract him.  
  
He rolled as he hit the ground, settling into a crouch. His breath was still steady from all the years of practice and actually doing. He heard the sound off to his left, knowing it might be a distraction as he looked in that direction for a moment. She wouldn't have moved far, if any, from the initial attack. There were a few trees around, most of them large enough for her to hide behind. But he knew which one was closest to the direction he had come in from and started to move off to the left.  
  
Marin kept her back to the rough bark, not daring to stick her head around the trunk. She could feel her pulse pounding from the adrenaline, and took a few slow, careful breaths. Again, that sense of almost...someone. Carefully, Marin turned towards the tree, grasping one of the lower branches. She knew she was cornered. After a moment's thought, she climbed carefully onto the lower branches, holding her breath as she climbed to the next one. She knew he'd probably hear, but at this point, she was out of options. She stopped about 6 meters off the ground and flattened herself against the trunk.  
  
Jarius saw it play out and then seeing Marin start climbing the tree. It was a risky move...  
  
Ethan moved quietly towards the tree that he suspected was hiding his prey....cautiously looking up every so often as he moved.  
  
Carefully, Marin looked down from her perch, and her breath caught as she saw movement. _"You got lucky, girl....' _she told herself. _'Now what to do....?'_ Watching Ethan, Marin carefully reached out in the Force, grasping the branch of a tree a few feet away, at about the same height, and _yanked_, causing the branch to come crashing to the leaf-strewn ground.  
  
He saw the fall and knew it from a distance away. But...he still had a twinge about something...it wasn't the Force since he couldn't feel it...but it was instinct from years of this kind of work. He had a hunch...it was time to play it.   
  
"It was a very nice attempt," he said as he looked up the tree he was at....and spotted her. It didn't take long for Ethan to climb to the branch she crouched on. Without much of a word, Ethan had her in one arm and jumped back down to the ground. Soon as he hit, he had her on her belly and put a set of binders on then used her bandanna as a blindfold.   
  
Jarius saw the action and nodded... it was the same thing he did when he was training in this action.  
  
Marin squirmed, but he was quick, and she felt his knee press into her back in warning. After a moment she stilled, slowing her breathing as she listened, her head against the damp leaves. She still couldn't get a solid sense of him in the Force, but she could hear the faint rustling as he moved.  
  
"Your binders have a time-release on it," Ethan told her as he sat her up cross-legged. "You'll have fifteen minutes to think about what mistakes might have been made and how to correct them, then you'll be released. I have two more sets with me, so you'll have two more opportunities to reach the house. If I catch you a third time, the exercise is over. Understand?"  
  
Marin swallowed and nodded, her head reeling slightly from the quick movement of sitting up. "I understand, Ethan," she answered firmly, looking towards his voice, even though she couldn't see him. She didn't bother even trying to open them with the Force, that wasn't the point here. Instead, she turned her attention to her breathing, as Jarius had taught her and listening to her surroundings as she reviewed what had happened. She knew the forest like the back of her hand, and yet he'd cornered her. For a moment, she chewed on her lip, thinking.  
  
Ethan, in the meantime, moved off very quietly quite a distance, not bothering to remember where he left her at and picked a rock that was sitting out above the ground for his new perch and sat down with his eyes closed, waiting. The little beeper on his comlink was set as a timer and would announce when the fifteen minutes were up and Marin would be on the move again. Inside, he was impressed... most beginners he would have caught sooner. Jarius' training was showing and his friend was right, she was a fast learner.  
  
After a little bit, Marin sighed. She'd done well, but near the end, she'd gotten sloppy. She needed to stay alert and aware at all times. Cautiously, she reached out in the Force, feeling the trees around her, and the little pinpricks that were the forest creatures. She couldn't see anything through the blindfold, but she got a faint sense of Jarius off to her right.

Ethan was harder to pin down. Somehow, he was hiding himself in the Force, and well. She shrugged. Not much she could do about that. She figured she was about halfway to the house by now, and the air felt warmer, which meant the sun would be coming up in the next hour. That would make this much harder. She saw the forest in her mind and the path through it to the house. There were other ways to reach it then that path. With a sigh, she flexed her wrists, slowly forming a plan.  
  
The soft beep opened Ethan's eyes and he decided to give Marin a few moments before he started scanning the forest for her again.   
  
A soft click was the only sound as the binders fell away. For a moment, Marin rubbed her wrists, reaching up to remove the blindfold and stuff it in a pocket. Her pack lay on the ground next to her, and she picked it up, slinging it over her shoulders as she looked around. Getting her bearings, she began moving off into the trees again, towards the south, but not directly. She could still sense that almost there feeling that she'd come to associate with Ethan. For now, it wasn't moving, but she knew that wouldn't be the case for long.  
  
After several minutes, Marin began to see the trees thinning out. She had to be getting close to the house. Even from here, she guessed it to be a good ten minutes from her current location. She decided to stop and rest. Crouching in the shade and overhanging branches of a large tree, she pulled her water bottle and some jerky from her pack, taking a few bites to replenish her energy, along with a long draw on the water bottle.  
  
Ethan and Jarius had done the same. Ethan from within the shadow of some of the trees while he paid attention to some of the terrain along the line. Jarius as he shifted from his first perch to a new position to see how this next test would go. He could sense both of their positions...they were getting real close to each other and neither had picked up on the other yet. He could imagine how quiet they were being.   
Taking a hunch, Ethan pulled a trick that Marin tried before and quietly tossed a small rock off to his right ahead of where he suspected her path was going to take.  
  
Marin heard it, and paused, flattening herself against a tree as she scanned the forest. Sunlight was just beginning to peek through the dense leaf canopy overhead, leaving bright dappling in some areas that dazzled the eye. She slowly scanned but didn't see anything... yet. After a tense moment, she ducked slowly around the tree and moved off at a tangent to her previous path. It took her a bit off her objective, but the more distance between her and Ethan, the better.  
  
Ethan stuck around the shadow of the tree, crouched down and waited there.  
  
Marin's progress was slow... but she supposed that was better. The fast movement would be easier to spot. She felt that weird almost there feeling again, off to her right and crouched, dropping to her belly. She then belly crawled beneath the dense undergrowth.  
  
He swore he could almost hear it, the soft rustle of underbrush... He closed his eyes for a moment and started to focus on the sound, turning his head slowly to try to focus in on it.  
  
Marin froze. There was that weird feeling again. As if someone were focusing on her. She crouched, waiting and listening as she reached out. The almost-there feeling was strong now. He had to be close. But she also knew she couldn't be that far from the house. Maybe a hundred yards. She could just see the angles of it peeking through the screen of trees.  
  
_She was close......_he had heard the last rustle real close to him. Just as a hunch to see if he could make her jump, he recalled an old animal call that he was taught back when he was hunting as a child. Taking a breath, he let out the wail he was taught.   
  
Jarius was caught off guard by the animal sound. He knew exactly what it was and 'knew' that the animal that made that sound was from nowhere in Cataani space...much less this planet. It was a good trick.  
  
Oh, Marin tried. That sound sent chills of fear down her spine and she bit her lip, covering her ears as she continued to scan the forest. She almost swore out loud at how close he was. Taking a slow breath, she tried to stay as still as possible, knowing he might have seen her if she saw him.  
  
It didn't the reaction he suspected it would have gotten. Just in case, he moved off to his right just a bit and tried it again.  
  
Marin sucked on her lip, tasting blood. And then he did it again. Slowly, Marin rose to the balls of her feet, taking a cautious step back and away, one inch at a time. Whatever that sound was, it gave her chills. Oh, how she fought the urge to run. She wanted to.  
  
_'Hmmmm....' _ Ethan was thinking...he moved off again just a bit, remembering a saying about three times...and wailed out the call one more time.  
  
She'd been expecting it... but _shassa_! She tripped, falling hard on her butt before she rolled to absorb the impact. _'Frell it...' _She knew he couldn't have missed _that_.  
  
_'Gotcha,' _Ethan thought with a smile as he stood up and walked up to where he heard the sound, knowing she was probably still in shock and surprised to notice him walking up.   
  
Marin's eyes flashed as she saw him step from within the treeline towards the house. She stood, balancing on the balls of her feet for a moment as she weighed her options. Fight, or run...? In a split second, she made her choice. She sprinted across the clearing and plowed into him, hoping to knock him off-balance.  
  
It was completely unexpected, but Ethan took the assault and reacted quickly. Marin had plowed right into him and he took the force of the blow. He fell back but made sure he could get a grip on her coveralls and took her down with him. As soon as he landed on his back, he used the leverage he had to get her flipped over him.  
  
Marin landed hard, a muffled "Oof!" escaping as she rolled, coming to her feet again. She wasn't going to go down easy this time. She remembered brawls in the orphanage as a child, and she circled Ethan warily, keeping just out of reach.  
  
Ethan was up quickly and watched how Marin was circling around him. Jarius came down a moment later.   
  
"I think we've tested her evasion skills enough for this morning," he said as he got in between the two. "A combat test can come later."  
  
Marin looked like she wanted to protest. She looked past Jarius at Ethan, appraising him silently for a moment, though she didn't quite relax all the way.


	7. Chapter 7

Jarius went into the weapons room and opened up a casement that held several blaster rifles that were longer than Marin was used to seeing. He selected the top rifle on the rack and started to check out all of the workings of the weapon and the scope on top of it.  
  
Marin perched on the bench again, tucking her feet under her, her eyes wide. "_Jar'ika_.... those are as long as I am tall....!" she said after a moment.  
  
Ethan chuckled at the comment and looked at the weapon Jarius selected. "You've still got that old thing?"   
  
"It still works," Jarius said as he handed it to Ethan for him to inspect.   
  
Ethan took it carefully, almost reverently, slowly running his fingers over the worn metal. This was the first long-range rifle he'd given to Jarius during his own training. Slowly, he checked the weapon over for defects, sighting down the barrel as he ejected the powerpack and dry fired the weapon. "I'm impressed," he finally said, looking up from his inspection as he slammed the powerpack into place and flipped on the safety.  
  
"I did update the optics on the scope," Jarius said as he pulled another rifle off the rack and, after opening the legs of the bipod, set it down on the worktable and started to check out the parts.  
  
"So I noticed," Ethan replied with a satisfied sound as he sighted along the barrel again. "They're much sharper." He hefted the rifle for a moment, and turned, squatting easily in front of Marin, where he began to explain the weapon and point out the different parts. "This is a basic long-range blaster rifle," he began to tell her, bringing it to his shoulder and held it a certain way with his cheek resting on rear stock. "You hold it like this when you're standing. This is actually the one I gave to Jarius when I was starting to show him something he didn't know about long-range shooting."  
  
"That's because I wasn't the sniper in my unit when I was in the Forces," Jarius said with a smile as he kept checking out the other rifle. "I was one of the entry shooters when he had hostage situations and a regular shooter during spec-ops."  
  
Marin's eyes widened, and she looked from Ethan to Jarius and back again. "And I'll learn too?" Ethan chuckled. "_Elek_, _Mar'ika._ It's an important skill for any _Mando'ad_. And it's easier taught when they are young, like you." He turned towards her again and turned her slightly on the bench so she was facing away from Jarius as he lifted the rifle to her eye level, letting her peer through the sight.  
  
"We'll start out easy," Jarius said as he took the other rifle, nodding at Ethan to take the rifle he was holding. "Just 100-meter targets to begin with."  
  
Marin gaped at him for a moment. "A hundred meters?? The blaster targets were only 50...." She flushed, hoping she wasn't being disrespectful.   
  
Ethan chuckled and shared a knowing glance with Jarius as the two men led the way to the practice range, the large rifles held diagonally across their chests. "That's why these rifles have scopes," Ethan told her. "You can see the target better from a distance."  
  
Marin nodded, but then frowned. "I'm... short... how am I going to see?"  
  
"We'll show you," Jarius told her with a wink as they headed out to the range away from the house.  
  
Ethan just grinned and shook his head, slowing his steps a little so Marin could keep up. "Don't worry, _Mar'ika_. I think you'll pick it up quickly like you have many things," he told her, his tone encouraging. After a few minutes, they reached the range. It was set up differently this time. Marin looked, and she could just barely see something peeking through the trees a good distance away. She figured that was the target.  
  
Once they were at the firing line, he pulled a few sang bags out of his pack and laid them on the ground for Ethan to set his rifle on while he pulled the bipod legs back out and set his down on the ground upright.  
  
Ethan was efficient as he set his rifle up, but he went slower, so Marin could watch what he was doing. When he was finished, he checked the sight, laying prone on the ground before he rose and had Marin kneel in the same spot to check for herself, as she was short. "How's that look, _Mar'ika_?" Marin took a moment to check the scope and then grinned at how the target seemed to leap towards her. "Looks good," she told him, smiling as she stood again.  
  
"You'll be able to adjust the scope's zoom using this dial," Ethan said as he showed her the ring near the eyepiece. Then pointed to two other knobs. "Your scope is zeroed for today, but these two knobs will adjust the point of impact."  
  
She frowned. "How does it adjust the point of impact?" She knelt again and peered through the scope.  
  
"It'll change the alignment of the crosshairs," Jarius told her. "So when you fire, your shot won't hit the spot you have the crosshairs aimed at."   
  
Marin frowned again. "You'd adjust for such things as.... wind direction?" she asked after a moment, testing the wind by sticking her finger in her mouth and wetting it.  
  
"Not with a blaster," Ethan told her. "If you were using a weapon that fired a projectile, you would. With a blaster, once you're zeroed, you're all set."  
  
"Oh..." she flushed slightly and scuffed her toe against the moss. "So it's just angle then...?"  
  
"If you're dealing with a projectile weapon," Ethan told her. "Energy weapon like a blaster, it will continue to go straight, so you do not have to worry about drop or windage. Your main focus is to be certain that the scope is zeroed. Once you have that, where you aim is where you hit."  
  
Marin nodded. That made sense. She knelt again and studied the rifle, familiarizing herself with it for a few moments.  
  
"Your target is 100 meters," Jarius told her. "And you are zeroed for 100 so you can get used to firing long-range."  
  
Marin nodded, and then swallowed.. hard as she moved forward, pulling the rifle to her so the butt rested against her shoulder. With a slow breath, she rested her cheek on the stock and peered through the scope, her left hand moving slowly towards the trigger guard. She rested her left index finger along the trigger guard for a moment before she gently slid it over the trigger, careful not to pull it just yet. After another check through the sight, she spread her knees a little, took a deep breath, and pulled the trigger.  
  
Jarius checked it through his own scope. There must have been some waiver when she aimed because the shot ended below the mark. "Breath slowly as you aim," he told her. "Then hold it before you take your shot, it'll keep you from moving the sight much...give you a better aim...then take your shot before you release your breath."  
  
Marin chewed on her lip a moment, and then nodded, lifting the rifle to her shoulder again. She took a few deep breaths, flipped the safety off, and moved into position again, breathing slowly as she counted in her head. When she reached three, she held her breath and pulled the trigger again.  
  
Ethan was checking it with his set of macrobinoculars while Jarius was checking with his own rifle scope. Both nodded as Jarius told her, "Good shot, Marin. You have five more available before you'll have to reload charge packs, go ahead."  
  
Her eyes wide, Marin nodded, wiping at her forehead with her right hand before she took a quick drink from her canteen and moved into position again. _'Maybe I can get those shots lined up...'_ She knelt again, bringing the rifle to her as she leaned against the sandbags. Her shoulder ached a little from where the weapon had pressed into her shoulder. She did the same thing again, sighting down the barrel. Three breaths, count to three. Then she held it and fired. Once, twice... three times.  
  
"Very good...keep going."  
  
After another drink from her water bottle and some more slow breathing, she fired the final two shots downrange before she flipped the safety on and rested the rifle on the sandbags.  
  
"Not bad at all," Ethan said as he looked at the target again. "Just as good as Jarius did when he started to learn...and he's had weapons training."  
  
Marin flushed. "I've never touched a blaster before... until Jarius started teaching me..." she replied softly, standing and dusting off her knees before she took a long pull from her canteen.


	8. Chapter 8

After a few days and seeing Ethan off, Jarius opened a door to a side room he didn't go into very often. Only a lit candle in his hand gave any illumination to the room as he went around, lighting other candles as he went. He wore a traditional tunic that went down below his waist over the trousers and boots he had on with a long, sleeveless cloak over it all. With the candles along the walls lit, he set his above a special alcove that held an image of the Lady and knelt for a prayer before calling Marin in.  
  
She'd never been in here before. She was freshly showered and dressed in a loose tunic similar to the style Jarius wore. He hadn't said much about what was going to happen today, but she'd sensed his solemn attitude throughout the morning. Her hair was braided down her back, still damp from her shower. Taking a deep breath, she released it and pushed the door open, stepping into the candlelit dimness. It took her eyes a moment to adjust before she spotted Jarius, his dark blue tunic almost blending with the flickering shadows.  
  
Jarius got up from his prayer and took the candle he held again, this time lighting two that were on opposite ends of the table. "There are two traditions we honor today," he said softly as he set his back above the alcove and gestured to her to go to the other side of the table as he picked up the candle on his side. "The unlit candles on the wall behind you represent your family...they are yours to light." After saying so, he turned to light several that were behind him.   
  
Slowly, Marin made her way to the side of the table opposite Jarius. She could feel her heart flip-flop a moment when he mentioned her family. She blinked back tears then, feeling a sadness well up in her chest. She'd never known them. It took her a few moments, but after a few slow breaths, she nodded and carefully took the other candle, turning to light the ones behind her one at a time. When she'd finished, she carefully replaced her candle in its holder and looked up at him, her eyes glistening in the candlelight.  
  
He still held his candle and gestured her to take hers once again, this time, moving towards the only unlit candle left in the room, in the center of the table.  
  
Marin nodded wordlessly, picking hers up again, following him as she moved her left hand towards the center candle.  
  
Together, they moved their candles together to light the center one. Once it was lit, Jarius set his back in its holder and stood there looking at the center. Softly, slowly, he uttered a few words in the ancient Cataani.  
  
Marin didn't understand what he'd said, but something in the words resonated within her as she set her own candle back in it's holder, and stared into the flame for a moment, feeling lost in it.  
  
"It is an old proverb...honoring both our families," Jarius told her as he closes his eyes for a moment. "We are bonded, in the Cataani tradition...family. In the Mandalorian way, I say unto you, _Ni..kyr'tyal gai sa'ad_.... 'I know your name as my child', Marin _Durza_."  
  
Marin gasped. Her lower lip trembled as she began to realize the meaning of it. "You....you mean that....?" she whispered, reaching across the table to slip her cool fingers into his.  
  
"To the rest of this galaxy for all time," Jarius told her as he held her hand. "You are now my daughter..." He started smiling warmly to her, finally letting the urge come over him as he knelt down to hold her.  
  
Marin sniffled, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand before she buried her face in his shoulder. She felt... safe there in his arms. After a moment, she looked up at him, her tear-streaked cheeks glistening in the candlelight. "Does that mean I have to call you _buir_ (father) now?" she asked, trying to smile.  
  
He chuckled at the question. "You can or continue to call me Jarius if you prefer. I leave the choice to you."  
  
She grinned a little. "I like Jarius... it's what I'm used to...." she wiped at her nose before burying her face in his shoulder again, taking in the scent that clung to his tunic.... smoke, incense, a bit of leaf scent and the forest.

* * *

It had been a few weeks since Ethan's visit, and she stared out the armorplast viewport at the planet below.

"Remember to be careful with your feelings and thoughts while we are here," Jarius told her as they started to enter Cataan's atmosphere. "The Master here is a very skilled user of the Force."  
  
Marin frowned, glancing up from her holopad. "How do you mean?" She rubbed the back of her neck.  
  
"Just as you have been able to feel everything around you, there is more that is possible. Including being able to tell how one's mood....even one's thoughts." He turned to smile at her. "But you needn't worry, I do believe. Master Karrde is a man of honor, he will not even think about that...nor will he tolerate any of his students doing so."  
  
"I'll still be careful," Marin told him, looking into his eyes. She knew he trusted this Master Karrde, so she was going to do her best. She took a moment to put her holopad away. "How long will we be here...?"  
  
"I have not decided upon that yet," he said to her. "I wanted to see if he could determine how strong your skills could possibly be. I know you do not like the idea of some training here, Marin, but he might be able to show you some things that could be of some use."  
  
Marin frowned. He was right. She sighed. "You're right. I just.... don't like being away from you much," she admitted after a moment, and she looked out the viewport.  
  
"Who said I was going anywhere?" He settled in on the flight path of the Karrde's landing pad. "I will be right there with you.... I may learn something new myself."   
  
Marin flushed. "_Ni ceta_ (sorry), old habits, I guess." She reached over to squeeze his hand before she rose to go grab her duffel.  
  
Jarius settled the ship in gently on the pad and shut down all the systems before he got up. He elected to leave his armor off and suited for a tunic and trousers, his blaster on his right hip and vibroblade on his left. He got to the boarding ramp and started to lower it, already noting that their hostess was already walking towards the pad.  
  
Marin was waiting for him, her duffel over her shoulder, dressed in a clean tunic and pants. Her knife was sheathed on her left hip. As Jarius began walking down the boarding ramp, she followed a few steps behind, scanning the area on reflex.  
  
[My greetings to the noble lady of the house] he said in Cataani to the lady walking up. She had on a skirt that seemed to flow with every step along with her long hair and greeted them both with a smile as Jarius bowed slightly to her.   
  
[_It is good to see you well, Jarius_] Jade LaCross Karrde said to him as she returned the bow and noticed the young lady behind him. [And I see the Lady has blessed you well.]  
  
"She has," Jarius told her, switching back to basic. "Marin, this is Master Karrde's wife, the Lady Jade Karrde."  
  
Marin flushed and bowed slightly, remembering her manners. [_Greetings, Lady Karrde, I am Marin Durza.._] she said slowly, and carefully, as her Cataani still needed some work.  
  
Jade's smile turned into a grin as she bowed back to her. "Steffan had told me that you had adopted her as your daughter. I'm so glad that you were able to overcome what happened. You are too good a person to go through that."  
  
"My thanks mi'lady," he said to her and looked at Marin with a warm smile before looking back to Jade. "Is the Master home?"  
  
"He's at the praxeum, but it isn't far," she told them. "I had Ryneas prepare horses and he'll lead you up to the monastery."  
  
Marin's eyes widened. _'Horses?' _she thought, frowning a little.  
  
"They're still used a lot here...especially for a trip like this one," he told her as he caught onto the look she had.   
  
"They're very docile," Jade told her. "And Ryneas is a good horseman, he'll make sure you're alright. He should be waiting just over there." She pointed to the area at the edge of the clearing where Steffan had erected a set of stables next to an old cottage.   
  
Marin flushed and nodded. "I see him, Lady Karrde." She followed Jarius over to the stables, looking around curiously as she did so.  
  
"Doesn't look all that different from home, does it?" Jarius asked her as they walked.  
  
"_Nayc_... (no) it doesn't," she replied softly. "It... has a ...peaceful feel to it as well..." she allowed after a moment as she continued to scan the area as Jarius had taught her to.  
  
"It always is peaceful here...the Karrde's have striven hard to keep it that way..and their children have taken it up as well." They got to the edge and saw Ryneas standing with the three mounts waiting, decked in the black and blue robes of a Cataani Jedi.   
  
"You know the meaning of the colors for _Mando'ade_," he told her as they approached. "Master Karrde explained to me that in old-times, it meant the same thing for the Jedi that came from this world."  
  
Marin smiled and nodded. "Reliability and Justice..." she said softly as they stopped within a few paces of the young man. Marin slowly approached one of the horses, holding her hand out, palm up. The horse took a sniff of her from a distance then, with a nodding from Ryneas, walked up to her. Jarius saw it and nodded. "And good morning, young Jedi. Thank you for the lead up the mountain."  
  
"My pleasure," the youth said to him with a smile to Marin as she started to pet her horse.  
  
Marin flushed again, remembering her manners. "_Ni ceta...._" she said softly, turning towards him. "I'm Marin Durza...." she said firmly, reaching out to clasp his elbow in the Mando fashion.  
  
"Ryneas Karrde," he answered as he returned it in the same fashion.   
  
Marin nodded and smiled, still feeling a bit shy, but trying to take her cues from Jarius. She knew she had nothing to worry about here, but she was still cautious.  
  
Ryneas saw the look and understood the feeling. This was entirely new for her. "It won't take long to get to the praxeum," he told them as he started to lead them down the trail. "This way." 

* * *

"There it is," Ryneas told them as he pointed to the monastery. Jarius looked at it and noted that it looked like it was built alongside and into the side of the mountain. He nodded at the sentiment...and wondered how much restoration Karrde had put into the place.  
  
Marin looked up at Ryneas' announcement and gasped. It was... incredible. She could tell the building was old, but it looked well cared for. She shifted a bit, trying to get comfortable, as she was unused to riding in the saddle. But she didn't complain. She breathed a silent sigh of relief as they finally drew to a stop.  
  
Jarius got down from his mount and looked up to the old wooden doors. He could hear multiple voices from inside...in unison, which told him that Master Karrde was probably running them through some kind of drill. Ryneas walked ahead of them and started to open one of the doors. When he did, Jarius started to hear multiple low hums as they entered the main hall of the monastery.   
  
Marin slid out of her own saddle and was close on his heels. She'd never seen a lightsaber before. When she entered the courtyard, she gasped softly in surprise, seeing the group of about ten students practicing a slow kata as they chanted. For a moment, she frowned and looked to Ryneas or Jarius for an explanation.  
  
"They're practicing a basic pattern," Jarius started to tell her. "Master Karrde uses a unique style and that's they are beginning to learn." He pointed to where a tall Jedi with the same colors of robes that Ryneas had at the opposite end of the circle from them, yelling a command to which the students moved to the next stance.  
  
Marin nodded and watched with interest as the students began to move slowly to the next stance. It was a bit confusing to her as she'd not been introduced to any kind of swordwork yet, but she found that Master Karrde's voice had a soothing and flowing quality to it, even at the volume he was speaking.  
  
"The lightsaber interesting to you?" Jarius asked her as they continued to watch the movements of the students.  
  
"_Elek_..." she answered softly, leaning towards him. She watched for a moment. "I'd like to learn some swordwork at some point, perhaps some lightsaber work too." She paused a moment. "Do you have a lightsaber..?"  
  
He shook his head. "The lightsaber is a weapon that is built by the one who wields it. I haven't trained with it, so I haven't made one."  
  
She nodded quietly. "It's not your style, then? Is that why you prefer the bladed weapons like your shoto and the _beskad _(mandalorian sword having a curved blade)?"  
  
"Never said it wasn't my style," Jarius told her with a soft chuckle. "Cataani take the way of the sword to a very spiritual level. The lightsaber is the epitome of that. The reason I don't use it is that I don't feel I'm worthy of such a weapon yet."  
  
She raised an eyebrow, keeping her voice low as she watched the drill with interest. Typical of her age, she merely asked: "Why don't you...?"  
  
He raised a hand to forestall the question as the students stopped in unison and lowered their lightsabers. Another Jedi that had been watching them, this one in more of the traditional colored robes, moved to stand where Steffan Karrde had been as all the students except two shutdown their lightsabers and sat down. The other two moved to the center of the circle and began to take a fighting stance against the other. Steffan walked around the outside of the circle towards them, returning the bow that Jarius gave him before they walked close and greeted each other in the warrior's grip.   
  
Marin flushed, and bowed, following his example. She had to admit, she was slightly nervous. "_Su'cuy_, Master Karrde." she said as she straightened again.  
  
"And greetings to you, young Marin," Steffan said as he returned her bow and smiled at her. "What do you think of the praxeum so far?"  
  
She blinked and flushed, looking at Jarius for a moment, and realized she'd forgotten to give her name. After a moment, she answered his question. "It intrigues me..." she said after a moment's thought. "There's a history here, but I'm also interested in some sword work. I've never seen a ... j_etti'kad_ before," she replied, using the _Mando'a_ word for lightsaber.  
  
"You are both welcome here for as long as you want to study," Steffan told them. In the circle, the two students started to spar. Their movements were much faster now than in the kata earlier. Marin smiled at that, and turned her attention to the sparring match, even though she was curious about this Master Karrde. She knew that he and Jarius were both Cataani, and she got the feeling that Karrde was as much the warrior as Jarius, but in a different way.  
  
Steffan gestured for them to walk around the circle with them to see the spar from all angles. The two kept going until one was tapped several times by the other. They stepped to the outside and shut down their lightsabers before sitting down. The Jedi that had taken over for Master Karrde called two others out to begin.  
  
Marin frowned for a moment, before she decided to ask. "Master Karrde, I noticed that during the match, the students tapped each other with their _jetti'kade_ (lightsabers) several times.... wouldn't that leave a burn? How does it not injure?"  
  
"They are using training lightsabers," Steffan told her. "The weapons use low power so they will only sting if contact is made. This group of students is younger than they seem and have not had all of the training they need before they are put to the test of fashioning their own lightsaber. Normally, one should acquire a certain level of skill before they begin that trial."  
  
She quirked an eyebrow. "Normally?"  
  
The old Jedi chuckled. "Well, there are some exceptions to that rule at times. Your curiosity is good, Marin. One should always have questions."  
  
She smiled, flushing slightly, and hoping she wasn't being impolite with all her questions. She watched the second match for a moment before turning her attention back to the two men. "Master Karrde, what kinds of things does the praxeum teach to students my age...?"  
  
"All students have their differences," he told her. "Those differences appear in abilities that they have with the Force. Some have skill with the saber, some for healing, others for mediating and so forth. In your case, that entirely depends on you."  
  
Marin shrugged, with a somewhat helpless look at Jarius. "All I know is that I'm good at... hiding, and I learn fast with just about anything..."  
  
Steffan nodded at this and looked to Jarius. "And you are not sure about where her abilities lie?"  
  
"Aye," Jarius said to him. "I would like her to learn all that she would like to learn, but she is my daughter and she has expressed the desire to stay with me and become _Mando'ad_."  
  
"I understand that," Steffan said to him as the sparring continued. "Then we can try to cover as broad a field as we can."  
  
Marin looked between them form a moment, stuffing her hands into the pockets of her trousers. "I'd like that," she said after a moment. "I like to learn." She thought a moment. "I do have some skill with the knife, and other weapons.... perhaps learning some hand-to-hand to add to that...?" she shrugged.  
  
"Jarius here could teach you that," Steffan said as he gestured to her father. "But there are some other things we can teach you to augment yourself when in a fight. In fact, Jarius might have shown you some of this already, because I've taught him the same technique."  
  
Marin frowned in thought for a moment, looking to Jarius. "_Buir _(father) did mention that I think, but we haven't really covered it yet... I would like to learn though..." she smiled, relaxing a bit.  
  
"We can start first thing in the morning," Karrde told them. "Take the time to settle in and become familiar with the layout of the praxeum."


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the shortness of this chapter, but rest assured, there is more to come. :)

“I’m glad to see that things have settled to some extent for you,” Steffan said to Jarius as he poured them each a glass of whiskey. He handed one to Jarius and they walked out onto the deck that wrapped around part of the Karrde’ s home. “Marin seems to be a lovely young lady.”  
  
Jarius smiled and chuckled at the comment. “She is that, Steffan.”  
  
“I’m surprised she wanted to bunk in your ship instead of possibly sleeping with the students that are close to her age,” the Jedi said as they sat down in a spot overlooking the lake nearby.  
  
“Other than me, she hasn’ t known anything else other than the orphanage,” Jarius told him. “I’ m wondering if maybe time here will bring her out of the shell.”  
  
“It is definitely something we can work on along with everything else,” Steffan answered as he took a sip of his drink. “I did notice one question she asked you while you were watching the sparring.”  
  
“She has many questions…” Jarius said as he took a drink and looked out over the lake over to the ship. “And you seem to want to ask the same question…”  
  
Steffan nodded as they sat there. “You could have continued training, Jarius.”  
  
“The _Jetiise_ path isn’t mine….the _Mando'ade_ is where I belong.”  
  
“I’m not talking about becoming just Jedi,” Steffan interrupted. “Xan walks both paths…and does it quite well….”  
  
“Xan didn’t go on a rampage to hunt down and kill the ones responsible for his family’s death…” Jarius said, shooting up out of his chair.  
  
“It doesn’t make any kind of difference,” Steffan told him, his voice still calm. “I went down that path for a moment myself. You know this.”  
  
Jarius shook his head. “You know how I feel about the art…”  
  
Steffan only nodded, letting him continue.  
  
“I’m not worthy of the _jetti'kad,_” Jarius told him. “I’m barely worthy of steel…”  
  
“I wouldn’t think so,” Steffan told him as he stood up and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I’ve heard about most of the jobs you’ve taken. You’ve only gone against targets that have harmed others…you have never gone against innocents. I would say you have been worthy of steel…and the lightsaber. But it is your choice to make.”

* * *

With a sigh, Marin flopped backwards onto her bunk and just lay there, staring at the ceiling bulkhead for a moment. Jarius had gone a while ago, saying he wanted to talk to Master Karrde. She frowned slightly at that. She liked him well enough, but she felt somehow she was being... disrespectful to him. She knew from Jarius' lessons that the Cataani were very polite people.  
  
With a muttered word under her breath that would probably have earned her the chore of scrubbing down the hull, she rolled onto her side. She just felt.... out of place. She liked a lot of what she saw being taught, but she was worried that perhaps some would think she was too young to undertake the classes she'd expressed an interest in.  
  
With another frustrated sigh, she turned onto her back again and laced her fingers under her head. The _jetti'kad_. It intrigued her. Jarius had been teaching her more about technology, and the fact the lightsaber could fit in the hand, yet cut through almost anything piqued her interest. Oh, she knew they were dangerous - Master Karrde's comment about training sabers had made that well known.   
  
But something about them drew her like a magnet. _'Why didn't Jarius have one?' _That thought tugged at her mind again. He'd said himself he was sensitive to the Force. It was almost as if he didn't _want_ one. What she didn't know was _why_. She could feel her shoulders tightening a little as she pondered that, and she took a slow breath. _'Focus, Marin..' _she told herself. Running her fingers through her hair, she sat up and rubbed her face. Maybe working through her warm-up would help. 


	10. Chapter 10

The next morning, Marin found herself up early.. before even Jarius. That was unusual. But something had woken her, and she couldn't figure out what. With a sigh, she rubbed the grittiness from her eyes and push her self to her feet. Barefoot, she shuffled int the galley, finding a stool he'd left. She pushed it over to the counter as quietly as she could and climbed up, carefully dipping a handful of the loose herbs that made up the _behot_ into the percolator before she filled the other chamber with water, closed it and turned it on. After a few moments, the scent filled the galley.   
  
Carefully, she set two mugs on the counter, and took the pot from the percolator with both hands, carefully filling both cups before she put it back. Climbing down from the stool, she reached up and took both mugs, walking carefully towards Jarius' cabin.  
  
Jarius was stretching shoulder muscles in the middle of the floor when he heard the soft rap on the door. "Enter," he called to Marin as he got up and moved to pull on the tunic he'd chosen for the day and started to attach his weapons belt on as the door opened.  
  
Carefully, Marin triggered the door control with her elbow before she went inside. "_Jate vaar'tur_ (Good morning), _buir_." she said, looking up at him.   
  
"Good morning," he said to her as he took the cup of _behot_ she offered. "Ready for the morning?"  
  
Marin smiled a little at his question, glad she had dressed when she got up. "I am. Master Karrde said something yesterday about starting lessons?" She paused a moment, trying to think about how to phrase it. After a moment, she shrugged mentally. "I really would like to learn the _Jetti'kad_.." she said after a moment, taking a sip of her mug.  
  
Jarius paused for a moment and sipped his _behot_ for a few moments, nodding softly at what she had just told him. He knew it was on her mind the moment she had seen the students practicing in the training circle. "How strong a desire?" he asked her softly.  
  
Marin chewed her lip for a few moments before she answered. "Very strong..." She paused, wondering if it was perhaps a good time to ask him the question she couldn't get out of her head.  
  
Jarius nodded again as he knelt down and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I believe you," he told her. "I could feel it yesterday. But understand, you will need to ask Master Karrde... and you will have to prove to him you are willing to commit to it."  
  
Marin's eyes widened at that. "How can I do that...?" she asked softly, chewing on her lip again. "I... can't explain it. You know I don't want to become _Jetiise_, but something about the _Jetii'kad_ pulls at me as if I'm meant to learn." She shrugged, helpless to find the words.  
  
"It doesn't require a commitment to the Order," he told her. "He won't demand that of you. The path you walk is of your own choosing. If he takes you as a student of the sword...he is going to expect a lot of you." He thought about it for a moment. "And if you take up the Way...I will expect it too."  
  
Marin fidgeted. "How do you mean...?" she asked quietly, draining her mug and setting it carefully on the desk behind her.  
  
He looked at her. "The Way of the Sword is very special to us... Cataani, I mean," he told her. "Starting that path means a great deal....and learning the lightsaber is the epitome of it. You're wanting to prove yourself worthy of it." He lowered his head somewhat. "Something that I don't feel I have proven..."  
  
Marin lifted her hand and gently touched his cheek, looking up at him. "Why not..? Because of what you told me about your past?"   
  
"Yes," he told her. "There is much that was done that I feel regret for, daughter..... I haven't earned that right."  
  
Marin bit her lip, again feeling his grief ...and something else ...something she wasn't used to feeling from him. Shame? For a moment, she was quiet before she buried her face in his shoulder.  
  
He put his arms around her and held her there. "Ask the master...." was all he whispered. "I am proud of you for having the desire to learn."  
  
She nodded. "I wish you could too," she said softly against his shoulder. But she knew that there were too many dark things in his past. Now she understood why he didn't have a _jetii'kad_. Sighing, she wrapped her arms around his neck for a moment, trying to send him all her love, for she knew that it had to be difficult for him to be here. "Do you know where I can find him this early?" she asked finally.  
  
"He is already making his way to the praxeum," he told her. "Always an early riser..."  
  
She almost asked Jarius if he'd come with her, but somehow, she got the feeling that she should ask Master Karrde herself. "I'll just gather my knife, and then I'm ready to go." she said after a moment, nervously rubbing the back of her neck. She wasn't so sure about riding the horses alone.

* * *

Steffan's movements were fluid as he moved the bokken around in a kata of the Second Form, his robe, vest and outer kimono neatly folded outside the training circle. The other students were not yet awake...having seen to it that he would have time to run through a different kata every morning in the circle before he went to awaken the others. His eyes were closed as he moved through each part.  
  
Marin had finally managed to make her way to the praxeum, though it wasn't easy on her own. With no one to show her how to saddle the horses, she went on foot, glad she remembered the way. She finally reached the entrance, and stopped, leaning against the boundary wall to catch her breath. After a few slow breaths, Marin tugged on her tunic, pulling it straight before she made her way into the courtyard, spotting Master Karrde as she did so. She was really nervous now, and she had to take more deep breaths, remembering what Jarius and Ethan had taught her about focus.  
  
Steffan noted her presence as she entered the edge of the courtyard, staying to the edge. He didn't break his movements as he continued through the kata....it would have meant breaking discipline, and he would not have that. His eyes remained closed but he released himself to the Force as he started to transition from the classic kata of the Second Form to his own from the Seventh.   
  
Blending all of his mastered forms together with the release that was shown to him by his friend, he continued to move fluidly, but the speed of his movements picked up as he let go of himself. His bokken was almost a blur now.  
  
Marin watched for several minutes, finally settling into a cross-legged posture on the paving stones a few feet from the edge of the circle. She knew better than to intrude, as Jarius had taught her a little about the Training Circle. She was amazed by the speed with which he moved. She watched for a bit longer before she began to focus on her own breathing again, much as she had in the forest as she listened to everything around her, hearing the rustle of fabric as Steffan moved. It wasn't a Jedi meditation, but it helped her focus.  
  
"Impressive," she heard, bringing her attention back to the circle. Steffan was standing there observing her, the bokken in his left hand as if he was holding a sheathed sword. His smile was warm and honest as he walked up to her. "Did Jarius teach you that?"  
  
Marin flushed, opening her eyes as she looked up. "_Elek _(yes), he did..." she answered quietly, climbing to her feet again. "_Jate Vaar'tur _(good morning), Master Karrde. I didn't wish to intrude..."  
  
"You haven't, and good morning," He said to her as he bowed slightly. "A pleasant night of sleep, I trust?"  
  
He moved to where his robes lay and began to slip his outer kimono back on as he noticed her walking to him around the outside edge of the circle. _'She's staying on the outside...showing the respect. Did he teach her that as well....I _**_am_**_ impressed.' _  
  
"Well enough, _vor'e_," she answered with a hesitant smile as she walked towards him, mindful of the boundary of the training circle. When she reached him, she answered his previous question. "_Buir_ taught me that technique. It helps me to listen when I'm in the forest hunting or training and... it helps calm me too," she admitted softly after a moment.  
  
Steffan could not help but smile and nod at her answer. "It is a very basic technique that we use to clear one's mind and focus," he began to tell her. "I taught Jarius that same technique when I first found him. I am happy to see he decided to pass that knowledge to you."  
  
She flushed. "It's helped a lot ...especially during some of my more recent training." She wondered for a moment if she should tell him about it.  
  
He nodded as he finished putting the rest of his robes on. "I really am glad that he's showing you these techniques...even the ones that might involve weapons. It is a dangerous galaxy still...will probably always be so for some areas. It is a good thing to learn. Now, it is time to wake the others."  
  
He started to walk away with the bokken still in hand towards a covered area and motioned her to follow him to continue their conversation. "What would be a good place to start your training?" He asked her as they walked.  
  
Marin followed him, glad he'd shortened his stride a little. Then she blinked. _'How?' _She stared at him a moment in shock and then shook herself, taking a deep breath. Then she fought the urge to fidget. "I.. uhm.. would really like to learn about the _Jetii'kad_," she said softly.  
  
That stopped Steffan in his tracks..... He stayed there for a moment, thinking before he turned around to face Marin. "I felt a desire in you when you saw the sparring yesterday," he started to tell her. "But, I wonder, how strong is that desire?"  
  
Marin flushed, and had to clasp her hands to stop fidgeting. "I can't stop thinking about it.." she finally said, looking up at him. "It ...._pulls_ at me....."  
  
He nodded softly. "Has Jarius told you how the Way is treated here?"  
  
"He has..." she replied quietly, not looking away.  
  
Steffan nodded softly. "The way of the warrior requires a deep commitment, Marin. We Cataani consider it an almost spiritual thing. And you feel that, without any doubt, you are ready to start down this path?"  
  
Marin took a deep breath and nodded. She couldn't explain it, but somehow she knew. "_Elek_, I do, Master Karrde."  
  
He held his hand up. "No, there is more... The lightsaber is the weapon of a Jedi. To learn how to wield it is to also learn those teachings, regardless if you walk that path or not. Most other masters would not give you this opportunity without a student devoting themselves to the Order. I am not one of those, Marin...but you must understand what you will be taught. Are you still willing?"  
  
That stopped her for a long moment. Jarius' words from earlier came back to her then. She was silent for several moments as she considered what Master Karrde was asking. "I am, Master Karrde," she said finally, her voice quiet, but firm as she looked him squarely in the face.  
  
Steffan stood there, returning her look and feeling for himself the determination in her heart. _'Her heart is _**_strong_**_, this one,' _he thought to himself as he thought on it for a few moments himself. He shifted the bokken to his right hand, gripping it in the middle and extended his arm out with the bokken horizontal to her.  
  
For a couple of heartbeats, Marin looked at him, but then she figured it out. It was much like Jarius presenting her with the blaster when she began that training. _But this_... she knew it was more serious. After a moment, she slowly reached out, gently gripping the bokken on either side of his hand, her palms facing upward as she bowed towards him. She wasn't really sure where the prompting for it came from, as Jarius hadn't taught her some of the more formal things yet.  
  
Steffan held his grip on the bokken as he continued to look at her. "Words are just that," he told her. "Show me this same determination today with the others that are just learning the Way....and you will be my student."  
  
Marin swallowed, knowing he meant it. She nodded after a moment. "You shall have it, Master Karrde," she replied, bowing again.

Steffan nodded and released his grip on the bokken and continued to walk towards his destination. It was a large bell in a covered area. Four large columns of stone supported the timbers that suspended not only the bell, but supported the roof that covered the entire area around it. Hanging on the supports next to the bell was a smaller timber with a decorative rope.   
  
He grabbed hold of the cord and pulled the timber back then threw it forward to strike the bell, which gave off a deep, loud sound that seemed to echo throughout the monastery. Steffan struck it two more times before letting the timber rest and walked back to where Marin had been standing.   
  
From the stone building attached to the opposite side of the courtyard from the main hall, some of the students that were up earlier started to exit into the courtyard. Most of the others were now starting to awaken or finish preparing themselves for the day’s training.   
  
She looked around the courtyard, noticing the sun beginning to peak over the slate roofs of the nearby building. While Master Karrde was occupied, Marin slowly began working through the warmups that Jarius had taught her. She was just finishing as Steffan returned.  
  
"There is no specific schedule here," he told her as the rest of the students began to exit their rooms and gather in the courtyard. "But generally we'll do some light exercising before breakfast here." He gestured to the training circle, noting that some of the students were starting to line along the outer edge...there was one that stood in the center and started to lead the others in some stretching moves slowly.  
  
Marin nodded and looked up at him a moment before she slowly made her way to the edge of the training circle, placing herself between two other students. The exercises were similar to those Jarius had taught her, though some were different. She turned her attention then to the student in the center, trying to follow as best as she could.  
  
Steffan watched her along with the others as they moved through every motion that he had started to teach them to loosen up muscles and prepare them for the day. Once they were finished, he walked through the line and moved towards the center.   
  
"Thank you, Jarod," he said to the youth as Jarod moved to take the only other remaining empty spot in the outer circle. "Today, we have another potential candidate for training here."  
  
He motioned to where Marin was standing. "Marin, daughter of Jarius comes to us with a strong desire to learn the Way. This day, treat her as one of your own. If there is anything you see would benefit her during this first trial, do not hesitate. Here, in this place...she is as much your sister as you are siblings to each other here. "  
  
He looked to the others in the circle and asked them in Cataani [Understand?]  
  
[Yes, sensei] The students said in unison.   
  
"Very good," he said to them. "Start on the trail for the run. Breakfast will be prepared and ready when you return." Slowly, they started to file out of the courtyard, through the main hall and through the doors to start on one of the trails that went around the mountain.  
  
For a moment, Marin looked back, one of the last to file from the courtyard. She was used to training in the woods. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad She sighed then, reminding herself to focus as she almost tripped. She was lagging a little, being smaller, but Jarius' and Ethan's training had helped some.  
  
By the halfway mark, Marin was struggling. Yes, she'd trained in the forest, but that was mostly flat. Her legs were already starting to ache as the group crested yet another small hill. Oh, how she wanted to stop and rest for a moment. But if she did, she'd be left behind. Gritting her teeth, she tried to push the pain away. She had given her word, and she meant to see it through.. but could she?  
  
She felt an arm help hold her and she looked to see the one that led them through the stretching helping her. "After a day or two, you get used to the thinner air on the mountain and all the ups and downs," he said to her as he kept her going at a good pace. "You should have seen me when I first went on it."  
  
Marin tried to smile at him, but her lungs burned. "_Vor'e_." she said softly, her cheeks heating. "I'm used to the forest floor... it's flat.." she smiled hesitantly.  
  
"I wasn't even used to that," Jarod said with a returning smile. "My homeworld is flat grassy plains with only a few forests and mountains. I was limping the rest of the first day."  
  
She giggled a little and reached down to rub her calves, pulling her canteen with the other hand. When she'd finished, she stood, a tinge of discomfort passing over her face before she gripped his arm in the _Mando_ way. "I'm Marin Durza."  
  
"Jarod," he said as he responded and they continued on the jog.   
  
"'_Vor'e_'" he repeated to himself. "I hadn't heard that word before, and I grew up knowing Huttese and a few other languages. What language is that one?"  
  
For the first time, Marin really smiled, and it reached her eyes. "It's _Mando'a_.. the Mandalorian tongue. Though not my native, either. I'm learning two languages at once." She paused a moment. "It means 'thanks'."  
  
"Mando?" Jarod asked as his eyes widened. "Wow....only read about them in Master Karrde's books...never thought I'd ever meet one."  
  
Marin flushed, but smiled. "I'm still learning... I wasn't born to it." She paused a moment running a hand over her hair that had fallen into her face from her ponytail. "I... was adopted by Jarius Durza about... 8 months ago, I think," she said after a moment, surprised that she would tell him that much.  
  
"Wow....lot to go through," Jarod said with a soft laugh - all he could manage on the run - as they continued along the trail. Slowly, they were starting to catch up to the rest of the group. "8 months and you're already here....I've been here for the better part of a year or so."  
  
Marin nodded and shrugged her shoulders. "I can't explain it I learn fast. I soak up things like a sponge." She thought a moment. "My _buir_ suggested I come here for some training, and I thought it would be a good change. I've been rather stuck to home for the last few months with the training I've been doing with him.."  
  
"I can just imagine the training he's put you through," he said with another short laugh as they caught up to the others. "Don't worry, there are a few others that have only been here for maybe a week or two. There were just Jedi padawans here, in the beginning, getting advanced training from Master Karrde....then he started searching for certain candidates to train from the beginning as Jedi."  
  
Marin frowned. "Is it normal to be that...selective?" she asked, hoping she didn't offend him.  
  
"Well, as he says, there are different roles that the Jedi have to fill," Jarod told her. "One may be excellent in one role, but doesn't have the talent or ability for another. Master Karrde is one of the best swordsmen in the Order and that's where his ability has always been....so here, he teaches that art along with others that would be necessary on the battlefield or other situations."  
  
She nodded slowly. There was that talk of _Jetiise_ again. "I came here to learn what I could and I ended up asking if I could learn the Way..." she flushed.   
  
"The way you said that sounded like you felt you 'had' to learn it," he said as they kept on. "Being _Mando_, are you thinking you'd have to choose between the two?"  
  
Marin nodded. "At first I did, _elek;_ but I know now I shouldn't have worried." She smiled faintly. "_Buir_ ...is proud that I wanted to... now I just have to keep up...." she saw that they were within the rest of the group now, nearing the monastery again.  
  
"See, almost there," Jarod said as they got closer to the gate.   
  
As Master Karrde had said, breakfast was laid out in the main hall for them when they entered through the door.   
  
Marin smiled up at him as they slowed to a walk in the courtyard. "_Vor'e_ for the company, Jarod. Talking helped me keep going..."  
  
"Company usually does," Jarod said with a smile as he gripped her arm again in the warrior's handshake. "And welcome to the group."  
  
She smiled, he'd remembered. "_Vor'entye_. (Thank you [formal])" she said, nodding towards the main hall. "Whatever it is, it smells good..."  
  
"About the normal standard," Jarod said with a laugh... "Master Karrde knows what it takes to keep us going through the day...he brought regular people here from around the local villages to keep the grounds, prepare the meals...and they can 'cook'."  
  
She grinned. "I guess I'm about to find out then because I'm hungry." She looked around the large room, seeing the tables filling up as she scanned for an empty seat or two.  
  


Marin had finally found a seat on the end of one of the long tables after she'd been through the food line. She had to admit, she was quite hungry, but tried to keep Jarius' words in mind as she ate, chewing slowly. That run had been challenging, but she still felt strangely energized. The bokken Master Karrde had given her earlier lay across the end of the table, and for a moment, she pondered it.   
  
She'd never used one before and wasn't even sure how to hold it. Sighing, she ran her fingers over the smooth wood for a moment before she turned back to eating. _'I hope I can live up to my words...'_ she thought, her eyes returning to the smooth wood. Such a simple object, and yet so much rested on it. She ate quietly, not really noticing any of the other students. She'd spotted Jarod over on the other side of the hall with some of his friends. When she finished, she took her plate to the dish room, and slipped out into the courtyard again, finding a clear area off to the side. There, she took the bokken in both hands, trying to get a feel for it.  
  
"Over here," she heard from over to her left. Looking in that direction, she spotted another motioning her to follow him. She recognized him as the younger Jedi that Master Karrde had overseen the sparring yesterday while the master had talked to her and Jarius. Knowing that he could possibly be one of the instructors, she turned to walk over to him.   
  
"You're new to learning the sword, correct?" the Jedi asked her as she approached.  
  
"I am, Sensei. I am Marin." she replied hesitantly, with a small bow as she held the bokken at her side in her left hand.   
  
"My name is Dilan Karrde," he told her as he returned the bow. "If you'll follow me, I will begin your training with the others that are just starting to learn." He turned to walked out of the courtyard and through the main hall, heading towards another part of the grounds.  
  
[Yes, Sensei.] She answered slowly and carefully, following him as he led her through the monastery. She'd not seen this part yet, and she looked around, taking it in. She knew that she was safe here, but it was still a habit to scan new areas that she'd not been to before.  
  
He led her to a courtyard on the opposite side of the main hall. This one did not have the same pattern of stones that she was starting to learn to be the training circle, but it had a line of them that other students lined along the edge of the circle with bokkens in their hands.   
  
Dilan gestured to her to join them as he walked to a spot in front of them. There was another bokken there for him as he shed his robe and took up the weapon in his right hand. "All of you are new here," he began to tell them as they stood there.   
  
"My name is Dilan Karrde...I am, for the first part of your training, your instructor in the art of the saber. So you do know, I am not a Jedi Master but a Jedi Knight, so there is no need to call me master or sensei....teacher will be sufficient. If you are wondering why a Knight and not a Master, you needn't worry. I am a skilled fighter and know well the basics that you will be learning. Now....are we ready?"  
  
While he'd been speaking, Marin had switched her bokken to her right hand, as he was. She looked across the courtyard at him, filing away that bit of information before she answered with the rest of the students: "Yes, teacher."  
  
"Very well," Dilan said to them as he held the bokken in front of him in his right hand. "The first thing is the proper grip of the weapon. You see where my right hand is sitting at the top of the grip. Grip it from the top, not the side....your index finger loosens slightly but your other fingers having a solid grip. Go ahead."  
  
Marin frowned, and switched her grip slightly until she felt the bokken sitting comfortably. the grip wasn't fully round, but a bit of an oval, which fit neatly into the part of her hand between her index finger and thumb. With it situated, she wrapped her fingers around the grip, trying to keep it firm, but loose near the index finger.  
  
"Good," he said as he watched all of them. "Now, you want the widest possible spacing between your hands on the grip of the weapon. To do this, grip the bottom of the handle like so, with your small finger actually sitting against the end of the grip. This hand, you _do_ grip from the side, not from the bottom."  
  
For a moment, Marin studied how he'd placed his hands before she slid her left hand to the base of the handle, The smooth wood pressed against her fingers as she wrapped them around, as he had. It did feel a bit more stable than a one-handed grip, she thought to herself, flexing her fingers a little to adjust her grip slightly.  
  
Dilan watched them, walking over to correct one of two of them. Nodding, he walked back to where he was and assumed the basic stance. His right foot led the other in front of him and he shifted his weight on his back leg with his elbows brought close to him. The 'blade' pointed forward and slightly upward.   
  
"Your right arm is where the strength of your attacks comes from...and the control of your strikes comes from your left. This is the basic fighting stance for all of the seven forms, any attack or block can be done from this position."  
  
Marin smiled a little as she adjusted her stance to match his. It was similar to the stances Jarius had taught her when she was beginning to learn the dagger and blaster. It gave more balance and stability than keeping one's feet close together. She was glad at least that part made sense.  
  
Dilan stood from his stance and walked along the students, making small corrections here and there. He moved to where Marin stood and nodded softly to how she adopted the stance well and her grip on the weapon.   
  
"Very good," he said as he continued to walk along them. "Master Karrde will tell you later that to truly appreciate the sword...or the lightsaber even...one must first learn to hold it in stillness. Hold the stance...let go of any thoughts you have right now and just 'feel' the weapon. It is not just a piece of wood....not only a weapon. This will become an extension of yourself...and extension of your will..."  
  
Marin nodded, again drawing on that same technique Jarius had taught her. She could feel the cool smoothness of the wood against her palms - which were slightly sweaty. It had a satisfying weight to it. One that wasn't too heavy or too light. It was just right and reminded her of its presence. She could almost feel as if the bokken belonged there. Though she hadn't intended to go into the full technique; she did hear the breathing of the other students. She could feel her own pulse, her slow breathing as she just stood there, feeling the breeze tease her hair. The bokken... she wasn't sure how it was possible but it was as if it belonged there. It felt right, and as if it were the missing piece.


	11. Chapter 11

Throughout the rest of the day, Marin had proven to Master Karrde of her desire and determination to learn his Way, and her training at the praxeum over the next several weeks was never harder than she could handle, but it pushed her level of endurance. But she pushed back, improving in every way. Jarod had been right, the runs through the mountains got easier after the first few days and she was able to keep up with the other students that had been there longer. Adding to the runs, she also included flips into the exercise…especially when it dealt with climbing over obstacles along the course.   
  
Steffan covered all aspects of the Force, from stretching and fine-tuning her senses to begin to discover her abilities to move and manipulate objects, such as her innate ability to use the Force to pass through security measures. Her real ability, they discovered, was how she was able to keep her presence from being noticed when she really focused on it. It was a talent that started her down the path of learning Force Concealment and Stealth.   
  
But it was her techniques in swordplay that continued to gather Master Karrde’s attention. As she kept practicing under Dilan’s tutelage, he started covering more stances and techniques of the First Form of lightsaber combat. She was picking it up quick and started to move with sureness, showing more grace and almost acrobatic agility in her moves as she began to practice kata by herself and in the sparring that Dilan began to oversee.   
  
Jarius remained proud of the achievements his daughter was gaining at the praxeum. He remained on Cataan for a short time, looking up and accepting contracts that would not take him too far from her. And during his latest visit, he started to see more and more as he watched her spar with the others from a distance. It was something that he wanted to talk with Steffan about later on….and he could tell that the Jedi had something in mind.   
  
“She’s showing a lot of promise,” Jarius said as he and Steffan sat on the patio outside of the Karrde’s kitchen, just outside of the garden that was outside the house. Jarius had never been to this part of the grounds of the Karrde household and was amazed by it…it seemed a mix of elegance and simplicity, if ever there was a way to blend them.   
  
“She has,” Steffan told him as he sipped his tea. “Her skills with the Force, especially being able to stay hidden, are more than I’ve seen in any student for some time. Her abilities with swordplay…it was almost if she was meant to learn it, she has such natural ability.”  
  
“You say that like you have something more advanced in mind,” Jarius asked him, warily.   
  
“I do, if you’ll permit me,” the Jedi answered. “She’s showing the signs of being able to go beyond the First Form already…something the others haven’t done yet. I had originally intended to just focus on the First, but I feel that there is another that would suit her abilities…and probably her personality better.”  
  
“You will teach her yourself?” Jarius began to ask.  
  
“Not yet,” Steffan replied. “I think it would be better for a fellow practitioner to begin showing her what I have in mind.”  
  
Jarius stood there, nodding. He wasn’t into much of a talkative mood and it was something that Steffan was picking up on. “What’s troubling you?”   
  
“I can’t figure it,” Jarius said as he shook his head and started to walk around the patio some. “I keep having this foreboding sense of….of something happening. I’ve had this recurring dream of Marin alone, crying…for me. As if something has taken me away or something.”  
  
“Could they be just dreams or possibly premonitions?” Steffan asked as he stood up and walked to him.   
“I don’t know,” Jarius finally said after a long moment. “I just don’t know, Master Karrde…..”  
  
“The future is always in motion,” Steffan told him, trying to ease his mind. “And if you truly think that something is going to happen…its going to find a way of happening, whether you want it to or not. Put it out of your mind, Jarius. It does neither of you good to dwell on it.”  
  
Jarius nodded, more to himself than to what Steffan was telling him. “Okay… I’m heading to the ship and see about some rest. There’s a contract that needs my attention, but I’ll wait until the afternoon to leave.”

* * *

Marin came into the courtyard from the quarters that she had been staying in early the next morning. She had gotten into the routine of wanting to practice the katas she was learning before the others got up. Seeing Master Karrde practice that first morning had inspired her to do everything she could to learn. When she reached the doorway leading outside, she heard a low hum coming from the courtyard and knew immediately that it was a lightsaber. She fully expected it to be Master Karrde practicing this morning as she walked outside, but was surprised to see someone else in the middle of the training circle.   
  
Marin had never seen her before, yet there was something about her presence that got her attention. She wore the same colors that Master Karrde and his son, Ryneas, wore, but it wasn’t what she had considered the attire of a Jedi. She wore the kimonos and a vest but also had on a skirt and leggings with her boots on, and her red hair whirled and flowed as she moved through the kata.   
  
What mesmerized Marin the most was the way she moved. She spun and jumped during her strikes, her motions with the green blade almost as smooth as Master Karrde’s were. As she looked closer, Marin could tell that it was similar but far more advanced and graceful than the way Marin herself was started to be during her training.   
  
And so she sat there cross-legged on the ground well outside the circle as she watched and studied every movement. It seemed like she would go on for a while longer when, in one smooth motion, the lady landed from a jump and held the pose she landed in, lightsaber held high, till she stood up slowly. The green-bladed lightsaber in her hand was spun once then shutdown as its owner brought it smoothly back into position on her belt.   
  
She turned around to see Marin there and it took her by surprise again. She was a young lady, but very pretty from Marin’s point of view. She pulled her red hair back behind her save for a slender braid that she tucked behind her left ear. Her smile was warm as she walked up to her.  
  
“You must be Marin,” She said as she got there and helped the girl up.   
  
“I see you two have just met,” Master Karrde said as he walked up to them. “Marin this is her royal highness, Andrea….”  
  
It surprised Marin once again… this new Jedi before her a princess?  
  
“Daddy, please?” Andrea said with a soft laugh. “Do you really have to try to pull that on her? She’s been surprised enough as it is.”  
  
And again…this time Marin’s eyes went wide. _'Not only a princess, but Master Karrde’s daughter?'_  
  
Andrea shook her head now. “I apologize, Marin. You don’t have to feel intimidated by me. In this place, I am fellow Jedi.”  
  
At Andrea's comment, Marin flushed and nervously shuffled her feet. It was as if Andrea could read her thoughts like words on a page. After a moment, and a glance to Master Karrde, she looked back to Andrea. She bowed politely, saying carefully in Cataani, [I am Marin Durza, Miss Karrde.] Then she switched back to Basic. "I enjoyed watching you practice... and I noticed that the way you move is similar to how I have been during my own practice. I am wondering, what Form do you practice?"  
  
"Well, if we're going to be formal," Andrea started to say with a giggle and knelt down. "It would be Princess DeGarmo now..... but we're not going to be formal here. You can call me Andrea...or teacher since you're the reason I'm here."  
  
Marin flushed again, slipping back into _Mando'a_ in her embarrassment. "_Ni ceta_ (I'm sorry), teacher...." she said softly after a moment, as she looked shyly at the woman who'd knelt to her level. "You're here... 'cuz of....me?" she asked in surprise, with another sideways look to Master Karrde.  
  
"Dilan and my father have noticed how your movements have been in practice," Andrea started to tell her. "Its showing signs of what we call the Fourth Form. Its more.... acrobatic, shall we say. Its also a form I use and we thought that, since I'm here on Cataan while the other daddy thought about helping you learn is away, I would start showing you more about it."  
  
Marin smiled, "I'd like that, very much." She tilted her head slightly. "The other...?"  
  
"Another Jedi who was a student of mine," Steffan told her.  
  
"And a good friend of mine," Andrea added in. "In fact, she's learning to walk the _Mando_ path as well. She stops by here frequently, so you'll probably get to meet her at some point."  
  
Marin frowned for a moment, their words pulling at her memory. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to pull that memory forward. And then she remembered... When she'd first met _Et'ika_, Jarius had talked of meeting someone... She opened her eyes and looked at Andrea. "Would that person be... Callista?" she asked. "_Buir_ (father) mentioned meeting someone the last time he was here, a lady that walks both the path of the _Mando'ade _(Mandalorians) and the _Jetiise_ (Jedi [plural])."  
  
"Aye," Andrea answered with a smile. "That's her. And just as how Jarius adopted you, she's part of our family as well. But now..." She started to stand back up slowly and stretched for a moment. "You and I are going to head to a different location from the rest today. You're the only one who has shown a preference for this particular form and there's an area towards the valley that we'll use."  
  
Marin smiled and nodded, 'Yes, teacher." She was glad now that she'd taken to carrying a canteen with her. While she wore a tunic and pants in the Cataani style, she still wore her knives on her belt. She knew she could trust those at the praxeum, but Jarius and Ethan had impressed on her the importance of carrying them. Since she was still too young for _beskar'gam_, it was her way of wearing armor, and honoring the _Resol'nare _(the Six Actions that make one Mandalorian). She bowed politely to Master Karrde and followed Andrea as the older woman led her across the praxeum grounds.  
  
Going through the main entrance, Andrea called a pair of horses over from where she left them grazing. They were different from the ones Marin had ridden up from the Karrde's house, different saddles on them. "From my husband's stables," Andrea told her as she mounted one of them. "And if you sense four people at the edge of the woods, don't be alarmed....they're here because of me."  
  
Marin blinked in surprise. She had indeed picked up on them. _'How had Andrea known that she could...?'_ Marin shook herself. "How did you know...?" she asked after a moment as she carefully mounted her own horse. She was better at it now and was glad that Dilan had taught her an easier way to mount.  
  
"I can pick up on thoughts easier than others most of the time," Andrea said as she glanced towards the treeline and waved to them. "And I knew they were there already. They're select members of the _Ja'tai Erem_...the royal guard."   
  
She started down the trail with Marin behind her. "One of the downsides of being married to the heir to the throne is that I don't have the freedom of movement that I once had as a Jedi Knight. But I know their concern...it is their duty to protect me." She laughed at that thought for a moment. "Even though they perfectly know that I'm capable of doing that myself. They've seen me practice..."  
  
Marin couldn't help it, and she giggled a little at the faint feeling she sensed from Andrea. Then she nodded. "I guess it's kind of like _buir_ with me. He knows I can take care of myself.... he taught me, for _Manda_'s sake - and yet he still worries." she shrugged a little.   
  
"No, that's him being a father," Andrea answered. "Mine is the same way."  
  
Marin flushed slightly in embarrassment. "I guess..." she allowed after a moment's thought, wondering for a moment if she'd said too much.  
  
Andrea turned and smiled at her, hoping to let her know that there was no offense as their reached a clearing up ahead. There were different sized rocks scattered along the clearing and between two of the taller trees was a highwire, strung tautly. "Here we are," she said as she dismounted and let the horse move off to the side to graze.  
  
Marin slid out of her own saddle, landing easily now. Once she was on her feet again, she gazed around for a moment, scanning the area out of pure habit. Again she picked up the four presences hovering just at the treeline. Her eyes widened as she gazed at the wire that was strung high above the ground.  
  
"Really, a practitioner of the Fourth Form shows more agility than any of the others...well, except maybe the Seventh." Andrea began to tell her. "But there are not many of those around."  
  
"Does Master Karrde practice the Seventh Form...?" Marin asked after considering that for a moment. "I've seen how he moves, and it's similar to how you do also.... but more...." she paused for a moment, trying to find the right word. "Spontaneous....flowing?" She smiled shyly. "I am really enjoying learning from Dilan... and I kind of feel a little of that flow when I move too.."  
  
"Daddy does practice the Seventh, and three others...blending them together," Andrea told her. "Dilan's style is closer to the Third. I'm assuming that you know of all seven, correct?"  
  
"Somewhat..." Marin answered with a nod. "Dilan explained a little about each of them."  
  
Andrea nodded at that. "Basically, Dilan's chosen form focuses on defenses, mine on agility, second on dueling, the fifth is usually more on power while sixth tries for balance....seventh........well, the seventh is more about the release."  
  
Marin frowned slightly, and said after a moment, "Just moving with the flow of the Force...?"  
  
"It calls for the total release of yourself to the Force, yes. Few Jedi can master it because it can open one up to the darker part of themselves. There's only one other besides my father that can do it right now."  
  
Marin gestured for her to continue. She was trying to learn as much as possible, so she was soaking up bits of information like a sponge. After a moment's thought, she sank down onto the soft grass to rest for a moment.  
  
"The focus of the Fourth, as I said, is agility and being able to move quickly," Andrea told her, leaping up in the air, flipping backward as she did so, and landing on the taller of the rocks nearby. "How well you can jump can be a key part of that. Have you done anything like this yet?"  
  
"_Elek _(yes)... a little..." Marin answered as she stood again, studying the rock for a moment. "I started working some flips and such into my morning run..." she said, and then a moment later, she took a couple running steps and leaped onto the boulder next to the one Andrea was on, landing in a crouch.  
  
"Very good for your first time," Andrea said to her. "Eventually, you won't need a running start...and will be able to land on more delicate areas than this. I'll demonstrate." She leaped up again, higher this time and came down gently on the wire above them, toes on the wire and being able to keep herself balanced as if she was still on the rock. "Eventually...."  
  
Marin gasped. "_Kandosii_.... (awesome)" she breathed. So far the thinnest thing she climbed on was probably those tree branches back home.


	12. Chapter 12

The next day, following Andrea's lesson, Marin found herself out in that same clearing again. The sun was just starting to dip towards the trees as Marin began with some stretches and then moved onto Form I. Her movements were slow at first, as she was adjusting to moving on grass instead of the paving stones of the praxeum courtyards.   
  
Eventually, she found her footing and began moving a little faster, her movements becoming a little smoother as she found a rhythm. Her breathing was slow, and measured as she moved into each stance, as Dilan had taught her. It helped her to keep focused. She was so focused in fact, that she barely noticed that flicker that meant someone was nearby. She ignored it for a moment, thinking it was just Jarod or one of the instructors.  
  
Her bokken was almost a blur as she moved from one stance to the next, spinning and rolling out of the way of imaginary strikes. She'd began working in some of the unarmed Teras Kasi as well. She dropped and rolled, lashing out with her left leg as if she were sweeping her opponent's feet. She came out of the roll, her bokken clutched firmly in her hands as she used it to guard her back from her imaginary opponent.  
  
He crept along slowly through the grass. He didn’t wear his armor for the noise it would make and that it would be cumbersome with the task he had before him. Ethan had been on the move for hours now from the clearing that Master Karrde had permitted him to land at for the test that Jarius had in mind. He had experience from moving quietly through woodland terrain before and had adapted the outer set of clothes he wore to the terrain around him. A few leaves and branches in scattered places to help the colored cloth blend in further with the Cataani landscape as he moved slowly and surely on soft-heeled shoes.   
  
The only other thing he had with him was his waist pack that held his rations with two soft canteens of water on both sides. In his arms was a specialized rifle that fired stun darts very quietly. It was scoped as well, so he would be able to approach from a distance. He knew Marin’s senses would have improved by this time, so he would have a harder time avoiding detection. The only choice would be to strike from a distance.   
  
He knew the area he was heading to but had a map with him as he got closer to the area that was indicated to him. He kept his steps slow and always checked his footing as he started lowering his posture some. As soon as he started to see the edge of the clearing ahead, he stopped and lowered himself to the ground. He pulled up to a fallen tree and laid the rifle down along it and checked the scope’s settings as he settled in and adjusted his cover to help conceal him visually.   
  
Marin paused in her kata, sensing a faint flicker at the edge of the trees. She stood then, and closed her eyes, reaching out in the Force. She felt the faint pinpricks of the forest creatures, but they didn't seem disturbed. Whatever it was, it was gone now... elusive. Shaking her head, she began moving through her kata again.  
  
He watched the pause, knowing that she was checking the area. He breathed slowly until he saw her begin her motions once again. Ethan kept his breathing slow and his finger on the trigger guard. With the speed of her movements, he would have to fire when she paused...so he adjusted the pressure settings quietly to gain more velocity with the shot.  
  
Marin lunged towards her imaginary attacker, driving a hard fist towards where the throat would be before she spun away and blocked a high strike. She still couldn't shake that elusive feeling... but she couldn't pin it down either. Cursing under her breath, she shook her head again.  
  
_'She's improved greatly'_ he thought as he watched her movements through the scope. He might throw a few additional tests in with the main one he had planned. He continued to watch her movement through the scope. '_Impressive....' _ He flicked the safety off of his rifle as he followed her with the rifle.  
  
Marin's danger sense flared. She came out of her roll and lunged, facing towards the trees as she scanned again, both with her eyes and her senses. "_Shassa_," she muttered, shaking her head again when she didn't see nor sense anything. If there was someone there, they knew how to hide. _'But who would be hiding here...?' _With that thought, she brought her bokken around to the front and took a few cautious steps towards the treeline.  
  
He waited patiently as she walked closer to the treeline. The shot was going to have to be perfect, so he moved the crosshairs to her center to guarantee that the stun dart would have full effect in no time. Patience soon rewarded him as she stopped at the treeline. He let his breath out slowly, held it when he got to the end...and fired...  
  
Marin's danger sense screamed. But still, she saw nothing. Whatever it was, she knew the worst thing she could do was turn her back... That thought cut off abruptly as she felt a hot stabbing pain in her upper chest. She looked down, her hand brushing reflexively at it, but her vision was already starting to tunnel. She slumped to her knees, blinking as she tried to focus. _'Stun...d....' _and her thought cut off abruptly as she slumped forward onto the grass, unconscious, the bokken falling from her slack fingers.  
  
Ethan stood up slowly from taking the shot, his hands shaky from the adrenaline rush. He threw his hood back to reveal the painted face to help him blend in as he took the rifle in hand and started to walk to the edge of the woods to look her over.   
  
"Definitely one of my tougher stalks," he said to no one in particular as he kicked the bokken to the side. He knew it would be picked up later. He removed the belt that held her knives and draped it over the rifle and began to pick her up in his other arm before he started the trek back to the ship. It would take a few hours going over the same terrain, but she would be asleep for a while. Enough time to prepare her for the trial and also put away his rifle and have his other weaponry ready.

* * *

He reached the ship in record time and quickly went to put her in the outside hold, using a set of stun cuffs on her and laid her down in the bay before he went to the armory. He cleared the magazine of the rifle and stored everything before he pulled a carbine of the same type. He checked over all the parts and went to pull a magazine of lower strength stun darts. He kept his camo on and pulled a comlink out and set it to transmit to the PA speaker in the hold. He wouldn't wait in the ship when she came around, but be waiting outside. For the moment, though, he settled to a meal that would keep him strengthened for what would happen. Finished with that, his last preparations were to restock his pack with rations and placed one with Marin's weapon belt next to the hold hatch.  
  
Marin woke slowly. Opening her eyes slightly, to guard against the light and her pounding headache, she found only darkness. At first, she panicked and tried to move, only to be rewarded with a jolt from the stun cuffs. She fell back to the deck, breathing hard as she tried to stop twitching. _'Just great...' _ She lay there for a moment, letting her breathing slow as she cautiously reached out in the Force. She couldn't risk moving again unless she wanted to get zapped.  
  
_"I see you're awake,"_ Ethan said into the comlink, having been alerted to when the stun cuffs first jolted her. _ It would begin now._  
  
Marin turned her head, trying to find the source of the voice. She reached out in the Force again, but there again was that elusive feeling. Taking a slow breath, she lay back against the deck plates and asked, "_Me'copaani?_ (What do you want....?)" in typical, blunt Mandalorian fashion.  
  
_"I am here to test you once more,"_ Ethan told her through the comm channel. _"But this will be much more difficult than I tested you before."_  
  
Marin swallowed. _'That voice... It sounded familiar.' _She sat up in surprise but was rewarded with another jolt from the stun cuffs. Once she'd stopped twitching, she spoke again, her voice wary, even though she couldn't see. "What must I do...?" she asked, although she was already trying to figure out how to kill those _shabla_ stun cuffs.  
  
_"The situation is...you have been captured,"_ she heard over the speakers. _"You have not left Cataan, but you must escape before that possibility exists. You know you are wearing stun cuffs. The cargo hold door, as well as the hatchway, are locked. You must escape the ship and evade capture again as you make your way back to the praxeum. I am waiting to hunt you, and I do have weaker stun darts that will render you unconscious for a much shorter time. But, you only have so much time to return to the praxeum."_  
  
"How long...?" she asked warily, turning her face towards the speaker his voice was coming from.  
  
_"It is midday now,"_ Ethan told her. _"The praxeum is close enough to where you can reach it by midday tomorrow....."_  
  
Marin swallowed again. "I understand...." she said firmly, reaching out in the Force again. He wasn't in the hold, so he had to at least be nearby. Breathing slowly, she began focusing as she had been taught, trying not to move as she zeroed in on the stun cuffs and began tracing the wiring in her mind.  
  
Ethan cut the comm channel and settled into the position he had chosen to overlook the clearing the ship was in. He would give her only a little time in the woods before he started to hunt her.  
  
Marin lay there on the cool decking, feeling sweat trickled beneath her tunic as she focused on the task at hand. It seemed like a small eternity, but finally, she found the right connection and pulled the wires free with the Force, shorting the cuffs. A moment later, they fell to the deck plates with a muted clank. She sat up slowly, pulling the blindfold from her eyes before she rotated her wrists. Her head swam slightly, but she sat still until it passed. Climbing to her feet, she moved quietly over towards the hatch, where she'd spotted her weapons belt and a small pack. The first thing she did was get a drink of water and eat some rations before she crouched in front of the cargo hold hatch. She knew this wouldn't be as easy as it had been to break into Jarius' ship.  
  
Marin crouched there for several minutes until she felt her calves beginning to cramp. Just when she would have given up, she found the final connection to the last entered code. Holding her breath, she completed the connection and was rewarded with the cargo hold hatch sliding partway open - just enough for her to slip through. Quickly, she buckled on her weapons belt and clutched the pack in her fingers as she slipped through. The corridor beyond was dim, but not so much that she couldn't see as she carefully made her way down it, slipping the pack over her shoulders, and un-sheathing one of her knives.  
  
Cautiously, she continued down the corridor, reaching out in the Force to check ahead as she did so. Again nothing.... _'Maybe he's not even on the ship...'_ she thought to herself as she crept down the corridor that ran along the inner edge of the starboard hull. After a few minutes, she reached the main hatch. Again, no one..... She frowned and knelt by the hatch controls, sheathing her knife as she did so. The same thing again... thankfully most computerized lock panels were built very similarly. This one took a little more time... the code was longer. She could feel the sweat tracing down her back as she painstakingly traced each wire to the keys that were last pressed. Frowning. she held her hand over the panel, trying to get a sense of the order the code had been entered. After 30 seconds of that, she hesitantly punched in the code, holding her breath as the main hatch finally slid aside.

* * *

_'That took less time than I expected,'_ Ethan thought as he pulled out a small set of optics and looked down at the end of the boarding ramp. There she was just coming out of the ship and getting her bearings. He set the optics down and checked the scope and setting on his carbine, making sure a stun dart was loaded and ready.  
  
As Marin carefully made her way down the boarding ramp, she scanned the area. Her eyes saw nothing, but in the Force, she felt that same nagging, almost-there feeling.... off to her left... As that thought registered she felt a warning tingle like she had just before the first dart. Dropping to a crouch, she palmed one of her knives and dropped easily off the side of the ramp, trying to use it as cover as she began moving along the lower edge of the hull.  
  
_'Very cautious'_, he thought as he watched her through the optics again. _'She probably knows something is up, but not what.....'_ He continued to watch her movements through the optics, giving her a few moments more before he started to move quietly from his perch to start the hunt.  
  
Slowly, Marin moved along the curving hull before she finally ducked behind the ship, hopefully putting it between herself and Ethan. She could still feel a faint warning tingle, and she knew she had to get further away.  
  
He kept quiet, but moved at a steady pace, watchful of every step he took through the foliage with the carbine kept close. Keeping his movement parallel to Marin's, he would give her a short distance before he started to slowly close the distance. He'd already determined that he wasn't going to make it as easy as he had the first time.  
  
Marin's own steps were cautious as she used the Force to scan around her and ahead of her, mindful of where she stepped. There was that nagging feeling again of being watched. She knew she was at a disadvantage, as her Cataani tunic and pants weren't designed for this sort of thing. They were in more muted colors, but they weren't camo... and therefore much harder to hide. Keeping her knife handy, Marin took a slight turn off her previous course, reminding herself that a straight path was the fastest way to get caught.  
  
Ethan started to close the gap quietly, already taking note that she started to alter her path. _'Good.... ' _He stayed as quietly as possible, pulling his hood over to make sure he was completely obscured. The carbine was at the ready now and he had the safety off as he continued to move.  
  
That tingle again, and a cold rush of adrenaline. _'He's closing in...' _Marin ducked around a large tree, tightening the straps of her pack before she took a couple running steps and jumped, using the Force to push her upwards as Andrea had shown her. She was glad now of all the practice she'd had on the runs in the mountains. Grabbing at the large limb with both hands, she used the grip to pivot onto the branch, balancing carefully as she scanned again.  
  
He heard the sound and stopped, crouching down and waiting. It sounded like she had run for a moment.....then nothing, save for the sound of a branch moving. _'She's taken to the trees.....' _he thought as he stayed there, the carbine at his shoulder. It was a good thing he had painted the weapon to blend in with the terrain.  
  
Marin stayed balanced on the branch for a moment, catching her breath, as she looked around, always mindful of where she placed her feet. _'One wrong move.....' _She took a few slow breaths, focusing as she continued scanning. He was still close. She knew that if she went to ground, he'd have her. Balancing carefully, Marin took a couple of cautious steps towards the end of the branch and picked another tree about a dozen yards away, the branches spaced wider.   
  
She took one more careful step and leaped, tucking her body as if in a roll before she extended again. Her target loomed closed and she reached into the Force as she'd been taught to, using it to slow her fall a little as she grabbed at the branch. She sucked in a breath as the speed of her jump caused the bark to dig painfully into her palms, but she ignored it for the moment, swinging up onto the limb in a crouch.  
  
_It was off to his left... and up..._  
  
Ethan turned slowly to his left, adjusting the angle of fire as he looked through the scope to see if he spotted anything. He caught what he thought was a form on the limbs but held his fire. It could just as easily not be her and a miss would result in the dart impacting a tree. The sound would alert her that he was within range.  
  
Marin crouched on the limb, taking slow breaths in an effort to slow her racing pulse. That warning tingle was an almost constant buzz at the back of her mind, telling her that he was close. Carefully, she clung to the trunk, shimmying around to another branch and praying to the Lady that she didn't fall. From her new vantage point, she scanned again, making sure to vary her path. Then she picked her next target and leaped. It wasn't as hard now, as she was starting to get the hang of it, but her palms burned.  
  
He watched the shadow intently through the scope's crosshairs. It started to move and he followed it to where she landed. _'I have you now,'_ he thought as he led her just a bit...and fired...  
  
The tingle at the base of Marin's neck turned into a silent scream of warning in her mind.... just like it had before.... _'Sithspawn..' _Marin cursed, crouching. But she didn't have anywhere to go. Again she felt the sharp sting as the dart hit her in the arm. With her last bit of strength, Marin flattened herself against the limb, praying to the Lady, and to the _Manda_ that she didn't fall when she passed out.  
  
Some time passed, and slowly Marin woke again. _'Shabla darts...'_ she cursed silently, slowly lifting her head. Oh, the world spun... And then she remembered where she was. "_Dar'yaim_.... (hell)," she muttered under her breath. "You're lucky you didn't fall," she told herself, carefully moving to sit up on the limb as she fumbled with the inner lining of her tunic and tore two long strips that she wrapped around each of her palms. She knew he'd probably heard that, but it was better than leaving drops of blood. She rose to a crouch and moved around the tree to another limb, pausing to take a few sips from her canteen as she planned her next move.  
  
It was faint, but even amidst the sounds of the forest, the sound of ripping fabric reached his ears. Ethan checked the chrono and noted that it was already past time. She would be awake now. He would give her a little more time before he resumed his stalk.  
  
Slipping her canteen back into her pack, Marin scanned the trees again. The tingle was faint, but still there, meaning he wasn't as close but was watching. She slipped her pack back onto her shoulders, and picked another tree, breathing slowly before she leaped again. This one was a bit farther than the last, but she was starting to feel a bit more confident. When she landed, she took a few moments to catch her breath as she scanned again.  
  
_'Staying in the trees?' _he asked himself. He heard the rustle of leaves, but not the sound of an impact on the ground. Pulling out his optics, he scanned the area in her direction but saw no sign of her on foot. _'What had she been learning at that praxeum that gave her the ability and confidence to stay up in the trees?' _He picked up the carbine and started out on his own path along the direction to the praxeum. He would wait for her out in a different area.  
  
Marin kept to the trees for a good while, until she began to see the light filtering through the canopy started to fade. _'No use moving about the trees at night,' _she told herself. She landed carefully on the limb, still feeling that faint tingle. Eventually, she knew, the trees would thin out and she'd have to go to ground. But she wasn't sure how far she'd come in the past several hours.  
  
She hadn't reached the perch he'd selected by the time he noticed the sun starting to go down on Cataan. A slower pace than Ethan had thought she'd take as he kept looking over the area. It wouldn't be too long before he would have to go to either enhanced mode on his optics and scope....or maybe... He thought to himself on the other option. '_Would she think it fair to use thermal?'_  
  
He decided against the thermal and attached the night vision attachments to his scope. He also pulled out a compact set that fit over his eyes like a set of goggles. It was still quiet in the woods, but it wouldn't last long. Night creatures would start to come out and he would have to be alert to be able to detect her by sound.....this would be interesting.  
  
Marin crouched on in the tree for several minutes, surveying the area. She still couldn't spot Ethan by eye - she knew he was too good for that, but she could faintly sense his general direction. He wasn't moving... _for now_. With a sigh, she settled against the tree for a moment, digging some jerky from her pack, and nibbling at it. She wasn't enthused about moving at night, but if she didn't she wouldn't reach the praxeum in time. Swallowing the rest of her jerky, she carefully hefted her pack again, glad that her eyes had adjusted to the dimness. Cautiously, she looked around and chose her next limb. It was closer than before, but she didn't want to risk longer distances in the dark.  
  
He settled in a little further, carbine at the ready. Call it intuition, but he had the feeling that she would be crossing the area very soon. It was just a question of would it be on foot or still in the air...  
  
Marin stayed put for a few minutes, studying the trees around her, and scanning the forest below. It was getting dark, and she'd have to stop soon for the night. with a sigh, she moved again, one tree over before she shimmied down the trunk and landed as quietly as she could. She'd been working on that skill too, sneaking off at times when she wasn't training.  
  
_'Sometime,'_ Ethan thought as he kept panning his eyes across the field he'd selected to wait in. She had to come by here at some point. This was the only route that eventually went to the mountain pass to the praxeum.  
  
Cautiously, Marin moved across the forest floor, scanning ahead with the Force as she moved through the trees that now loomed above her. The haunting calls of the forest creatures echoed in the darkness, the sound seeming to travel forever.  
  
He thought he'd seen a trace of movement.... it wasn't easy to tell from just using his goggles. He slid them up and brought his carbine up and started to zoom in on the area where he'd noticed the movement.   
  
Marin's danger sense tingled as she felt the sensation of being watched intensify. She froze, flattening herself against the nearest tree as she cautiously scanned the darkening forest.  
  
No trace... but he knew he'd seen it and he didn't want to alert her. It was almost the same instance as before...almost. He had an idea in mind, but first, he tried to put the search out of his mind...maybe his thoughts of intent would tip her off; he didn't know anything of how the Force worked.  
  
Marin stayed still, breathing slowly as she closed her eyes and reached out again. He was nearby.... but not moving. She frowned. _'Was he waiting for something?' _She shook her head. Her danger sense hadn't spiked. After a moment, she crouched low to the ground and moved slowly, and as quietly as possible towards the next tree.  
  
He saw the movement of branches...just slightly...right where he had the crosshairs laid and he didn't hesitate for an instant to fire.   
  
"_Fierfek_..." Marin breathed, ducking low, but the pounding warning didn't lessen. She thought she'd seen movement off to her right...... and then the dart hit. She staggered, slipping to her knees among the dry leaves as she tried to fight it.  
  
"You're getting better, but still too easy," he said quietly...knowing she'd hear it as he slowly got up. He shook his head and grabbed some jerky out of his pack and started to chew on it as he started further up the way. Another half-hour and he'd picked another spot along the way, making sure he was well covered.  
  
The thirty minutes passed, and Marin rolled over with a groan, a faint headache behind her eyes. She sat up slowly and dug in her pack for her canteen, Ethan's words ringing in her ears. '_"Still too easy..." what did he mean?' _She scowled and brushed her tousled hair from her face as she tried to figure out where to go now. She couldn't keep moving for much longer. She was having to rely heavily on the Force, as the tree canopy blocked out most of the moonlight. After a few minutes, she stood again and moved off at a tangent to her previous course, considering for a moment taking to the trees again, but she knew it would be too dangerous in the dark.  
  
It was a good, quick nap, and the vibration of his earpiece woke Ethan up as he took another bite of jerky and a sip of water. _'Would she keep coming on?'_ Of course she would if she wanted to make it there by the time he'd set.   
  
Cursing silently, Marin moved cautiously through the trees, always scanning ahead. The tingle was always there now in the back of her mind, a constant reminder as she watched the shifting shadows. She was glad for the darkness, as it was cooler, but it was difficult to see. She was moving along well and stopped suddenly as she felt the warning tingle again.  
  
She stood still for a moment, breathing and listening to the forest and scanning again. _'It was still there....' _Shaking her head, she moved off at an angle, away from that almost-there feeling, keeping to the shadows of the trees, even in the dim light.  
  
_'Any time now'_, he thought as he kept looking around. So far, he hadn't heard or seen anything yet. He stayed still and quiet all the same.  
  
Marin kept moving along her new path, keeping as low to the ground as she could, to minimize her profile. He had to be using... something to see her in the dark, for she could barely see. She frowned for a moment, her movements cautious as she moved into the shadow of the next tree, and leaned against the bark for a moment.  
  
He paused his scan for a moment, bringing the carbine scope back towards his right very slowly. _'Something was odd.... '_  
  
Her danger sense spiked, and Marin froze, holding her breath. _'Yup. definitely using something... ' _She stayed stock still, reaching out in the Force. _'You don't see me... it's just a shadow...'_  
  
_He paid close attention through his scope........and...._ He almost wanted to laugh. It was a Cataani wolfhound that started to come through the line...sniffing the air. Then he froze..._wolfhounds were only out at night for one reason..._  
  
_...to hunt._  
  
_'Oh no...what if he's close to Marin?'_  
  
Something else intruded on Marin's awareness. It wasn't Ethan... and it didn't feel _human_.... more like the stag that she had helped Jarius bring down back home... but it felt.... different. She swallowed, not daring to move. 'What now...? Did she dare take to the trees again?' For a long moment, Marin stayed still, scanning with the Force. She knew better than to move too much. Slowly, her hand slipped down to the knives at her waist, and she pulled them free of the sheaths as quietly as she could, working to keep her breath slow and even. She could feel Ethan close by, but he didn't seem to be moving.  
  
His attention was on the wolfhound in his crosshairs. The decision was nagging at him. _'Did he hit it with a stun dart and take out any possibility of it attacking Marin or see if it would discover her and attack?'_ He kept his crosshairs on the animal, still wondering about the choice at the moment when the animal raised its head up, ears pinned back now.   
  
Marin's breath caught in her throat as she felt the shift in the creature's attention. _'Fierfek...' _she cursed silently, gripping the knives more firmly. Carefully, she peeked around the trunk of the tree, swallowing in surprise as she saw a faint movement... not even a dozen meters away. Sheathing the knives, she didn't even think, she just leaped, catching the lowest branch of the tree - about ten feet up - and swung up onto it, crouching as she drew her knives again.  
  
Ethan caught the movement of her jump and landing but didn't worry about it. The wolfhound picked it up too and started to look up and growl, the hair on its back starting to raise up. If he remembered right, they were persistent and it would waste time waiting for it to move off, so he centered his crosshairs between its shoulder blades and fired.  
  
Marin's danger sense flared. She flattened herself against the limb, narrowing her focus a bit as she lifted her arm and flicked her wrist, letting one of the knives fly. She'd never done this before, but she kept her attention on it, only relaxing a little as she faintly heard it strike. The wolfhound yelped... and then again as something else struck it... She felt it convulse once and lay still. For a moment, she lay on her belly along the limb, scanning the area, and wondering if she dared go to retrieve her knife.  
  
Ethan nodded softly and lowered the carbine from the ready position. "You have a half-hour," he told her from his perch. "The wolfhound was unexpected. Move on the ground, fast at first, then settle down and proceed like before."  
  
She knew he'd been close, and she almost succeeded in not jumping a little in surprise. She was silent a moment as she took in his words. If he was telling her something like that, she knew it best not to stray from his directions. After a moment, she spoke softly, but loud enough for him to hear. "_Elek_, Ethan..." She sat up on the limb, doing her best to get her bearings as she marked his location in her mind. She dug some more jerky and water from her pack, eating before she swung down off the branch and took off as quietly as she could. She knew it wasn't wise to stick around a dead animal, for that would draw predators also.


	13. Chapter 13

The sun was just beginning to peek down through the canopy when Marin saw the trees ahead start to thin out. She'd kept moving throughout the night, sensing Ethan not far behind her. He'd caught her a couple more times during the night following the encounter with the wolfhound. But she'd made decent time, considering.  
  
She paused for a moment, brushing a few strands of hair from her face before she tied the black bandana around her head to hold back her hair - the same one Ethan had used as a blindfold when this had started. Mentally, she took inventory as she began moving again. She was down to one knife, a canteenful of water, and several strips of jerky.  
  
For a moment, Marin studied the treeline, scanning the area with her eyes and in the Force. She could sense Ethan now... off to her left and slightly behind her. Just that fact alone spurred her forward, though she was still careful with her movement. It surprised her that she could sense him now, after months of not being able to.  
  
Shaking her head, she pulled her attention back to the present, using the shadows cast by the trees as she made progress towards the clearing. It was the same one Andrea had shown her two days previously. The question now was: how to get across the clearing and into the cover of the trees again without Ethan tagging her with a stun dart again?  
  
For Ethan, he had his carbine at the ready as he reached the edge of the clearing and started to settle into a position where he had good cover. He checked the magazine and noted that he should have enough darts left between it and the other magazine he had in his vest. He had an idea of where Marin was and where she would probably be entering the clearing from. Even if she skirted the outside opposite of him, she'd still be within range. He brought the weapon up to his shoulder and made ready.  
  
Marin moved slowly towards the treeline, scanning with the Force as she came to a stop behind a large tree. Her danger sense tingled again, and it was strong this time. For a moment, she bit her lip, scanning the clearing. There wasn't much to hide behind, so she'd have to cross quickly. After a moment's thought, Marin reached into the Force, finding a tree about 200 yards away. She could sense the faint presence of some birds there, and she reached out, shaking the tree, and causing them to take flight.  
  
The sudden sound and flight of birds caught his attention and he moved to cover the area, scanning through his scope through one eye while his other eye was keeping watch over the rest of the area. He didn't see any other movement and he didn't want to risk giving away his own position by firing a shot.  
  
Marin felt a slight shift, and she took off, moving across the clearing as carefully as she could. The warning tingle spiked for a moment, and Marin broke into a full out run, making for the nearest boulder.  
  
_'There!' _ He spotted her running with his free eye and quickly brought his carbine around and fired a shot. He could tell that he didn't lead enough and continued to track her, firing two more times. But she was already to the first boulder. _'Spast!'_  
  
Marin ducked and rolled the last few meters, coming to a stop as she found herself in the shadow of the boulder. Some of those darts had been close... _too close_. Marin just sat there for a few moments, catching her breath before she took a gulp from her canteen. Definitely not the smartest move, but she hadn't had much time, or choice, really. She could feel Ethan's intensity now. He'd focused in on her. She'd have a hell of a time, now.  
  
He shifted to his right along the edge of the woods, his crosshairs focused on the boulder that Marin chose to hide behind. Ethan went down a few meters then settled back down and waited.  
  
Slowly, Marin rose to a crouch. She had to keep moving. She only had till midday. With a silent curse, she crouched for a moment, scanning again. _'He's moved...'_ she swore again. Not much she could do really. For a moment, she pondered. _'There has to be a way I can draw him off... but how...?' _ She knew she could touch people's thoughts, much like she could alter machines.... _'What if I can change his focus... make him think I've gone another direction?' _She squeezed her eyes shut then, and started breathing slowly, focusing in on where he was. Now came the hard part.  
  
In her mind, she saw herself, crouched behind the boulder. He knew where she was... _but maybe_..... She took that mental image, pushing it outwards towards Ethan, envisioning it taking off towards the next boulder in front of her. By now, she was sweating. At the same time that image moved, she took off running, but to the boulder to her left.  
  
He felt his vision go fuzzy....just around the edges... Then he saw he take off, going towards the next in front of her. _'Bad move,' _he thought as he lined up and gave her enough lead and fired....but she didn't fall. He had enough lead and fired again....and he saw her...  
  
_...fade away. _ He looked and saw her move behind a boulder. The boulder off 'behind' the one he originally saw her moving to.  
  
_'Force tricked me!'_ He seethed as he stood up, upset now, and fired three quick shots in succession in the direction of the boulder she went behind, hoping for a ricochet hit.  
  
Marin knelt behind the boulder, sweat streaming down her face. She was shaking. That had taken a lot out of her. Her danger sense screamed. The next instant, she heard two impacts against her boulder, and then.... _'Fierfek!'_ she dove for the dirt trying to avoid the third one. _'It must have rebounded off the other boulder...' _ She could feel his anger in the Force... it felt like someone had dumped boiling water on her.  
  
He checked the magazine, had five stun darts left in it. With more in the other mag, he lined up and fired two more rounds at the other side of the boulder, again hoping for a ricochet shot.  
  
She hugged the ground, not daring to move with the darts flying around like that. She yelped as she felt something jab into her leg. It was a stun dart. _'F'ierfek...' _She rose to her knees, trying to fight it. But the next instant, she sprawled in the grass, out cold. Her left hand could just be seen beyond the boulder.  
  
He saw her hand and noticed that it didn't move for a few moments. "Use a mind trick on me, will you?" he said as he watched for a few moments more before he started to move up the path. He already had a final perch selected and he'd be waiting for her.

* * *

  
Thirty minutes later, Marin rolled over. When she tried to sit up, she fell back to the grass with a curse. That last stunt had taken more energy than she'd thought. For a few moments, she just lay there, feeling as if the world was spinning. Closing her eyes, Marin began breathing slowly, calming her racing pulse. She reached into the Force, but this time, she felt a nudging to draw the energy into herself - something she hadn't done before. It was several minutes before she sat up again, and felt steady enough to eat a bit of jerky.

Swallowing the last bite, Marin rolled to her knees and shouldered her pack again. She knew Ethan had kept moving, he was farther away now, and she was having a hard time sensing him. Scanning the clearing again, she began moving cautiously towards the trail that led to the praxeum. That was the last leg before she finally made it back. Her progress was a bit slow, as her head still spun slightly when she stood.  
  
The sun climbed higher, and she watched the changing shadows carefully, judging that she had maybe two hours left before her time was up. _'If I don't make it back before midday....'_ she cut that thought off, not wanting to ponder what the results would be. She already knew how mad Ethan was. Before long, she found herself at the head of the trail that led back to the praxeum. She knew better than to keep to the trail, so she slipped off into the trees, scanning ahead cautiously.  
  
Ethan had selected a prime position close to the wall of the praxeum. He had an excellent field of view of the trail and the surrounding woods. He exchanged magazines, even though he had two shots left in the one he was first using. He had a round chambered and had a fresh mag loaded and ready. He was supposed to do his best to stop her, and he would....one way or another.  
  
Slowly and carefully, Marin began moving through the trees, grateful for the cool dimness after the rising sun beat down on her. She was really beginning to feel the lack of sleep and the adrenaline letdown. The only thing keeping her going now besides adrenaline was the energy she'd drawn into herself. She briefly considered trying the same trick again, but quickly discarded that thought as it had angered Ethan, and sapped much of her strength. Fifteen minutes passed as she made careful progress through the trees and underbrush, varying her path as much as she could.  
  
He decided on an old trick and took a deep breath, letting out the loud predator call that he had at Jarius' home.  
  
_She should have expected that..._ Marin jumped slightly in surprise and then felt like kicking herself. She should have considered that he'd use that again. She stopped moving, hoping he hadn't seen her.  
  
"Gotcha," he said quietly as he settled in and moved the crosshairs over to where he saw movement. He didn't actually see her, but it didn't matter now, he thought with a grin as he lined up and fired.  
  
_'Sithspawn...'_ Marin cursed silently as her danger sense flared again. She dropped to the ground, trying to deflect the dart with the Force as she did so.  
  
He saw it fly towards the spot....then deflect and move in a different direction. "Sithspawn," he muttered as he lined up again and got ready for two more.  
  
Marin let out the breath she'd been holding as she faintly heard the dart fall to the leaf-strewn ground a few feet shy of her position. She was already moving, belly-crawling through the undergrowth. Less chance of her being seen.... she hoped. He was close, but that was because she was moving closer to where he was. She'd cross his line of fire in the next few minutes at the rate she was going.  
  
He guessed the line she might take and adjusted his aim and quickly fired two shots on one line and shifted to fire two more along another possible line she'd take.   
  
Her danger sense flared again... and not just once, but four times. She froze for a moment, trying to track the darts. Two passed well in front of her, and one was off to her left. _'But the other...' _ She cursed and flattened herself to the forest floor, the loamy, crispy scent of the leaves filling her nose as she attempted to deflect that dart too.  
  
He saw the final dart fly off...which meant one thing... "Hah!" He yelled as he lined up and started to fire off three in a row.   
  
Marin heard his exclamation and cursed under her breath, crawling forward a few feet before she dived behind a tree. She wasn't quite fast enough. She felt the breeze from two of the darts as they passed within inches of her. _'But the other...._' Her leg burned. As she looked down, she saw a tear in her trousers and a thin gash. The dart had nicked her, but kept going. Swearing under her breath, she unwound one of the fabric strips from her hand and dabbed at the gash.  
  
He started scanning close by where he had placed those three shots.... he couldn't tell, but noticed that there was a tree close by where he knew Marin had been. He placed a shot on both sides of it, wondering if he might score a hit.  
  
"_Fierfek_...." she breathed, flattening herself to the leaves again. This time, she tried a more subtle approach. instead of sending the darts wide, she altered their course just enough so they missed, but hopefully not enough that it was glaringly obvious. One buried itself in the next tree, but the other, she tried to reverse and send back the way it came, not knowing if it would work.  
  
The first shot passed from what he saw._..but the second... _He almost didn't move fast enough before it passed by where his arm had been and ricocheted harmlessly off the stone wall. He looked at where it hit and back towards the tree, knowing it came from the one he fired to the right side. Now, he settled in, mumbling curses and waited as he settled his scope's view on the tree. Soon as he saw a trace, he was going to send a salvo in that direction.  
  
Marin sensed the faint spike of irritation from his direction, and then that strong sense of someone watching her. She lay among the leaves for a moment, trying to formulate a plan. She could see the outer wall of the praxeum a few dozen meters away. And he was between her and her goal. Slowly, she scanned the wall, searching for him.  
  
Ethan stayed there, still as he could be. He'd had the time while she was under from the last hit in the clearing and traded his woodland camo that he'd used in a position away from his, settling in into a different cover that was already prepared to blend with the stonework and rock around him.   
  
With a frustrated curse under her breath, Marin let it be. She could sense generally where he was, but try as she might, she couldn't find him no matter how many times she searched the area. Carefully, she belly-crawled away from the tree, moving slightly off from parallel to the wall. Marin studied the trees for a long moment, trying to figure her next move.  
  
He continued to scan the area around the tree but still kept it within his sight as he moved slowly side to side.  
  
Carefully, Marin crawled a few more feet, until she stopped behind a large tree, resting her back against it for a moment as she considered what to do next. She had to get over that wall - and the gate was not an option. With a frustrated sigh, she blew a few strands of hair out of her face as she looked up at the tree above her and got an idea. Keeping the tree between her and the wall, she jumped up to the lowest branch.  
  
He heard a rustle....but didn't see any sign of movement. He thought about it for a moment and decreased the amount of zoom he had on the scope and started to scan a larger area. Slowly, he went over to the right, going closer to the wall, when he saw a few leaves falling from a tree. He looked up and traced the line from where he fired earlier to the first tree, then to where he saw the leaves....it was a line to the wall. And leaves meant she went back up to the limbs. With that knowledge, he started to scan up the tree.  
  
She could feel his attention shift again and zero in on her. It was if he had some sort of motion detector. Gritting her teeth in frustration, Marin kept her back to the trunk, trying not to present a profile as she inched carefully around the trunk and away from what she guessed his line of sight to be, based on where she sensed him.  
  
He tried to guess how far up she might have gone... wouldn't go beyond the first few sets of branches. He shifted his aim to the left and popped two shots off in that direction, then held his aim off to the right, but kept one eye looking to the left.  
  
Marin felt them coming. The first dart passed within inches of her. The second one was even closer. It brushed past her. She swallowed. He knew where she was, at least in a general sense. Biting her lip, she climbed up to the next limb and began studying the distance to the wall now. It was close enough that she could probably make it.  
  
Ethan didn't see anything... He looked up from the scope and for the first time, started to look at the distance between the tree and the wall. _'She couldn't make that jump...could she?' _He flipped the fire select from single-round to three-round burst as he thought about it and waited.  
  
Marin frowned as she studied the distance. It was going to be close, that much she knew. With a muttered curse, she crouched on the limb, taking a cautious sip from her canteen as she weighed her chances. Stowing her canteen, she began taking slow breaths as she considered her options. She knew trying to project again as she took the jump would not be a good idea.

She'd just have to take the jump and hope she could deflect whatever came at her. She stood slowly and gauged the distance as she tightened the straps on her pack. An instant later, she moved, running easily along the limb as if it were the wire Andrea had shown her. When she reached the end, she leaped, pushing against the limb just enough to give her a little more speed.

He saw her out of the corner of his eye, running along one of the limbs hard towards the outer wall of the monastery. He couldn't believe it, but swung the carbine around and started firing three-round bursts. But she was running faster down the limb, then leaped off of the last part to try to reach the wall. He switched to full auto and tried to lead her in mid-air.

Marin's danger sense screamed. In mid-air, she tucked and rolled as she reached the highest point in her leap before she extended again. She could feel the darts streaking towards her, hot burning embers of warning in her mind. Barely moving, Marin flicked her wrist, trying to deflect the darts as she dove towards the wall. _There were so many... _A few seconds later, she grasped the top edge of the wall, using her momentum to flip over it. She knew she couldn't block all of them...

_'Spast!' _he wanted to yell as he held the trigger down until he heard a clicking sound, telling him the magazine was empty of stun darts. He dropped the trigger and pulled his blaster from his hip, flipping the selector to stun and started to take aim along her line of flight. He wasn't going to give this to her... he'd never lost his objective before... ever, and he wouldn't start now. Ethan couldn't tell it because of his focus, but he was letting himself become too absorbed into the mission.

Marin landed lightly on the inner wall, catching her balance as she studied the courtyard below. She could see a class in session over near the training circle. But that wasn't her objective. With a deep breath, Marin crouched again, feeling the flash of Ethan's anger. The next instant, she leaped, arcing down to the courtyard below.... mere seconds before a blaster bolt hit the wall behind where she'd been.

Marin landed in a crouch, hoping that the noise hadn't disrupted the class, for it was one of Master Karrde's. Quickly, she shed her pack, palming her knife as she did so. But then she thought better of it when she spied a rack of bokkens off to the side. There were three remaining. Marin flicked her fingers, calling one to her as she kept her presence as closed off as she could.

He was beyond frustrated now as he saw her reach the wall and leap down before the stun bolt he fired. She was inside the wall now... back into the praxeum. He broke in a run, holstering his blaster as he did so, towards the main doors. Ethan reached the doors and turned to see where she stood, pack to the side and a bokken in her hands. He started approaching her at a fast pace, tossing his camo cover aside and grabbing a bokken from another rack as he increased his pace...then started charging her.

_'Fierfek...' _Marin breathed, moving laterally away from the wall to give herself some space. Ethan was coming fast. Marin swallowed, and began slowing her breathing as she'd been taught. Her fingers flexed on the smooth wooden hilt as she spread her feet and brought her blade up in a defensive posture. She wouldn't attack.

Ethan didn't really know how to handle a sword, but it didn't really matter to him right now. He was running mainly on knowing that he failed to keep her from reaching the objective. Inwardly, he knew that he wasn't to make it impossible for her, but he didn't expect the way the test had gone. He rushed in and started to swing from his right side.

Marin sidestepped, her own reflexes slightly sluggish from adrenaline as she swung her own blade around to block his, snapping a kick to his left side as she did so. Faintly, she could sense the class on the other side of the courtyard, but her concern right now was Ethan.

The kick to his side just seemed to spur him on as he did an overhead strike with one hand. Soon as he saw her block it, he grabbed her by the wrist and began to try to flip her over.

Marin hissed in surprise, her booted feet slipping a bit on the paving stone as he dragged her forward, and twisted to throw her. Marin flailed, remembering to tuck and roll as the paving stones rushed up to meet her. She was on her feet again instantly, charging toward him, her own blade sweeping towards his feet. She ducked under his swing, driving her shoulder into his stomach.

It almost knocked the air out of him when her shoulder hit. He grabbed the bokken in one hand and her shoulder with the other and got ready to bring the end of his bokken into her back.

Marin's danger sense screamed, and she let go of her bokken, watching it clatter to the paving stones a few feet away. She turned, twisting against his grip as she brought her knee up, slamming it into the side of his own knee.

"ARRRR!" He couldn't help but yell from the impact on his knee, which got the other students' attention from the training circle. He backed up, hobbling as he gripped his knee and glared at her from where he moved to. He grabbed his bokken and leaped forward with his weapon over his head and started to bring it down with all his strength, but didn't connect. Steffan grabbed the wood with his bare hand and used Ethan's momentum and dragged him off balance and down onto the ground.

Marin stood there for a moment, in shock. Her breathing was fast and heavy, and she realized belatedly that they were now the focus of everyone's attention. Her cheeks colored slightly in embarrassment as she realized her condition, and she couldn't find the strength to even greet Master Karrde. Instead, she slid to the paving stones, finally succumbing to the adrenaline crash and almost two days without sleep.

Steffan stood over Ethan, the bokken Ethan was using in his grip with the point facing the downed man. "Whenever you're ready to start calming down," he said quietly to Ethan before he looked to his students and called a little louder. "Marin's exhausted from her trial. Get her to her quarters."

"Yes, Master," several called and three of them, including Jarod, started running over to Marin's side.

Marin's vision swam as two of them helped her to her feet. For a moment, she looked over at Ethan and Steffan, wondering if the whole ordeal had been worth it. _'Had she passed?'_ That thought faded from her mind as she felt someone lift her in their arms. She blinked and turned her head to find that it was Jarod. She smiled faintly before she lay her head against his shoulder and let sleep claim her.


	14. Chapter 14

Jarod opened the door to the room slowly, bringing in a bowl of cool water and a towel. He took a few steps and turned to look at the door, using the Force to close it behind him. That done, he went over and set the bowl at Marin's bedside table and started to soak the towel. In a few moments, he wrung out the excess water and folded it then placed it on her forehead.

Marin shifted at the cool sensation, her eyes fluttering. "_Me'bana_....(what's happening?)" she asked, her voice barely a whisper as her eyes opened slowly, and she turned her head slightly towards the presence she felt in the room.

"Easy," Jarod said with a soft, relaxed tone. "Its me, Marin...Jarod."

Marin's breathing slowed slightly as she registered his voice. She tried to sit up, but fell back against the pillows after a few moments, utterly drained. "How long was I out...?" she asked softly, sighing in frustration. She knew eventually the stunts she'd pulled in the forest would catch up with her.

"You've been asleep for over a day," he told her. "You were pretty well exhausted when we brought you in here. Most of the other students were worried. We hadn't seen you since you had headed out to practice before meeting with her highness the other day."

Marin flushed then and fidgeted with the thick blanket that was draped over her. "I uh..." she stopped for a moment, pondering how to tell him. "I was on a training exercise that Jarius had set up... I didn't even know about it myself until it happened..." she finally said, wondering if she should tell him what happened. He'd seen the end of it.

"Rest," he told her, re-soaking the towel before putting it on her head again. "Master Karrde already talked with the Mando you were fighting with and informed us of what was going on." He shook his head for a moment. "You had us all worried all the same. Hearing a blaster shot, then seeing you flipping over the wall and then in a duel with a person who's anger was coming off of his in such huge waves. The master really had a conversation with him on the spot, so I'm told."

Marin flushed in embarrassment and shook her head. "_Et'ika_'s a _good_ man, Jarod... He just got a little caught up in the exercise... and I probably didn't help his mood much, either..."

"I could feel some of what was going on," Jarod told her as he looked at her. "I spoke with Master Karrde of it some and he had me meditate and keep track of you."

Her eyes widened. "You.. you did..?" her voice was surprised. Slowly, Marin sat up, moving the pillows to lean against them. "What did you feel...?" she asked softly, thinking of how she'd projected, and how much it had weakened her.

"A lot of confusion at first...but a lot of determination for the rest of the time," he told her. "It....it was real hard, keeping myself from heading out every time you were hit. I was so used to feeling you there that when you were stunned....it felt so odd."

Marin mouth quirked. "I'm glad you didn't. It was my test alone..." she said after a moment, but it surprised her that he'd been that worried for her. After a moment, she frowned. "What did it feel like when I was stunned...?" she asked finally.

"From my point of view?" Jarod asked her as he closed his eyes. "Nothing....it was like, if I was looking at a scanner image...that you had just dropped off of." He shook his head and dipped the towel into the bowl. "Sorry..."

"For what...?" she asked quietly, turning to look at him in the low light of her room. She flushed and looked down, fidgeting. "I... sometimes forget that people care about me..."

Jarod nodded softly as he paused there for a moment. "I know you told me that all you've known since Corellia has been your father and this other Mando at times."

Marin nodded. "It was very hard at first for me to... reconcile how _buir_ could be both ruthless, and gentle... Ethan too. I guess I got used to Ethan being a little rougher, but this..." She sighed. "I expected it to be hard when I woke up in stun cuffs." She chuckled a little at his expression and leaned back against the pillows. "But I didn't help his mood with some of what I did..."

"I thought I picked up traces of a mind trick," Jarod said with a soft smile. "I can imagine his reaction to that."

Marin giggled. "Oh, he was _so_ mad.... he didn't like it one bit... that, and I figured out how to deflect the stun darts.. .well _most_ of them.." She groaned, remembering how much the mind trick had drained her. "I've never done either before, but I felt.... a prompting almost..." she shrugged, at a loss to explain it.

"The Force guiding you," he told her. "It will give an idea of what needs to be done. And the first time pulling a mind trick, especially on a strong willed person is draining."

She nodded. "That he is... I felt like I was going to pass out right after I did it.... and then one of his darts got me 'cuz I wasn't paying attention..." She sighed and rubbed her face. "For a while last night, I was worried myself....." she paused, looking up at him. "I had to keep moving during the night... and ran afoul of a wolfhound..." She swallowed, remembering the fear she'd felt then. "I lost one of my knives because I let fly towards the wolfhound from the tree I was in. My knife hit shortly before Ethan's stun dart..." She could feel her pulse quicken again at the memory.

"You mean this?" Jarod asked as he drew the knife from inside his vest and held it to her, freshly cleaned.

Marin's eyes widened. "Where did you find that...?" she whispered, her voice awed as she took it almost reverently and restored it to the empty sheath on her belt, which was draped over a nearby chair.

"I knew roughly where you were when the wolfhound came out," Jarod said as he watched her. "I ventured out to retrieve it after I made sure you were okay here."

Marin looked back to him, her eyes huge. She knew what the knives meant, but did he...? "Why would you do this for me....?" she asked, drawing up her knees and pulling the blanket about herself. The movement made her wince slightly as she remembered the gash on her calf.

"I do know a little bit about Mandos," Jarod told her with a smile. "But, where I come from, a knife is important. More of an everyday tool as well as a weapon."

Marin nodded. "It's more than just that even, for me..." she said after a moment. "It's the closest I can come to fulfilling one of the Six Actions... _Ke'juri beskar'gam_ (Wear armor)," she said quietly, looking down at her knees. "Right now, anyway...." she finished softly.

He nodded softly and laid her back down. "You're still needing some rest, Marin. don't worry, I'll be close by."

* * *

Steffan sat with a book in his hands, relaxed in one of the side chairs in his study at their home. Catharine and Jade were enjoying a program that was on the holonet on their entertainment system in the living room while Ryneas was working on a hobby project in his room.

He was trying to get through his book, but the events of the last while were still playing through his mind…

“_You’ve done enough with the trial you wished to put Marin through,” he had told Ethan as he still had the Mando pinned down on the ground with the bokken he had used in his short duel with the child earlier._

“_Karrde, if you don’t let me up….” Ethan started to grunt in a low tone._

“**That’s enough**_,” Steffan said to him in a stern tone, putting an emphasis on it through the Force. “Your role was to provide difficulty for her to make her way back, evading detection from you along the way. Nothing was ever said about ‘hunting’ her and cornering her, firing stun darts like mad. You lost sight of the objective, Ethan…I could feel it since this morning.”_

It had kept on like that for a while… Ethan finally calmed down and now Steffan was thinking on the events of the trial. Marin had made it through from the ship to the praxeum, but his attention was her use of the Force during the trial. It was impressive, her use of going through the trees… a technique he himself used before when he had hunted down the Sith Lord Mahrin Jeras…and he felt her use of the mind trick earlier, a technique he hadn’t begun to teach her yet, to good effect. Andrea’s lessons on Force-assisted jumps and other techniques that went into the use of the Fourth Form served her well so far.

Steffan set his book back on the shelf and went in to enjoy the rest of his evening with his wife and youngest daughter. He’d check on Marin in the morning.


	15. Chapter 15

Marin rolled over, a soft groan falling from her lips as she realized how much she still ached. As she looked around her room, she could see thin streams of light peeking through the thick drapes that had been pulled over the one window in the room. It had to be close to midday. Sitting up slowly, she stood carefully, grasping the edge of the bed for balance as her legs wobbled.

Gritting her teeth, Marin took a careful step away from the bed, and then another until she reached the window, pushing the curtains aside. She'd been right. The sun was high. But the courtyard was deserted as she looked down into it, which meant that everyone was either at lunch or resting during the hot hours. She leaned against the sill for a moment, catching her breath before she went back to the bed and pulled on a clean tunic and pants that had been sitting on the chair. Dressed now, she slowly made her way to the corridor, stretching her legs after almost two days in bed.

"Well, if it isn't the prodigal daughter," came a voice from down the hall. It got Marin's attention to look down the corridor behind her to see four students there, only their kimono and trousers on. But what got her attention was the fact that they had sageo holding the sleeves of their kimono up and two had bokken in their hands...and two held training lightsabers....it was _not_ a good sign...

"Finally decided to come out?" The one in the center asked. "_Special attention, special tests...._"

"Think that entitles you to special treatment around here?" a second asked. Their tone told Marin everything she needed to know about their intent.

Marin looked up and swallowed, her eyes narrowing as she saw them there. "I never wanted nor asked for special treatment here...." she responded as evenly as she could, taking stock of the group, and the space in the hallway. There wasn't much. She unconsciously spread her feet, readying herself should they charge. '_But could she handle four?' _She had no weapon, save her knives, and she discarded those as an option. Whatever their reasons, she didn't want to injure them unnecessarily.

They were spread out now and did not give her much room to maneuver in the corridor. The two with bokkens had them lifted in a ready stance now as they moved closer.

"What's going on here?" they all heard behind them. Jarod was there walking up, and he had his own training saber in his hand.

"None of your concern, Jarod," The first that spoke said as he and the other with a training saber turned to face him. "We just decided to give the new girl our own welcome."

"You can tell she's in no condition or training level to take on four of you," Jarod said as he walked up and assumed a stance with his feet apart. "And she's done nothing to deserve the resent you four have. Now....back down."

Marin frowned, seeing that Jarod was on the other side of the group from her. It didn't leave her many options. Muttering a curse under her breath, she moved to one of her Teras Kasi stances as she readied herself.

"Have you really thought about what you're doing?" Jarod asked them honestly. "Do you really think that Master Karrde would stand for something like this? Assaulting a fellow student out of malice... especially with the strength of numbers?" He lit his training saber and took his fighting stance that he had adopted. "No... You will back down _now_."

They ignored him, and closed the distance to Marin, crowding her into the wall. She lashed out with her left foot on pure instinct, knocking one of the bokkens free of it's owner's grip. But that's all she had time for as two of the others grabbed her and shoved her to the floor, the third lifting his training saber. Marin's eyes were huge now, and she watched as the one with the training saber brought it down, aiming for her neck. Squeezing her eyes shut, she could feel it moving towards her.

Jarod came rushing in and drove his shoulder into the student's back before the blow could be finished. The student stumbled forward and, by tripping over Marin's body, fell to his face on the stone floor. Jarod wasted no time in bringing his saber around in a backhanded strike that caught the student Marin has disarmed in the face. He went down yelling from the mark the lower-powered training saber put across his cheeks and nose as Jarod used the Force to hurl another off of Marin and used his saber to strike the third. By this time, the first was up, nose starting to bleed from hitting the floor, and raised his saber to be ready to attack Jarod...but the latter's saber was already moving as Jarod rushed into an attack of his own.

Marin heard the zap as a training saber hit flesh, and she cringed, expecting it to be her neck. When she felt nothing, she cracked an eye open and stared. One had blood streaming from his nose, another laid on the floor groaning, a nasty red welt across the face. Marin squirmed, trying to break free of the grip of the remaining students. She twisted, ramming her elbow into the chest of the one on the left, but being on the floor made things rather difficult. A curse fell from her lips as she felt the blade edge of one of the bokken smack into her shoulder - _hard_. She fell back against the wall, her eyes watering. That swing had almost full power behind it. She turned her head, trying to track Jarod, but gasped in pain as it tweaked her now bruised shoulder.

He heard the gasp behind him and knew what was behind it and who it had come from. It took all that he had to keep from coming unglued at the sound of it as he ducked under the swing of the first student and brought his blade up in a grand arch that caught his opponent in the left hip and he kept raking the blade upwards, going for as much chance to weaken him. The student fell down from the amount of pain the blade caused as Jarod turned, but caught a bokken on his left arm.

The student wielding it had put his full strength behind it and Jarod knew that the muscles in his upper arm would be bruised from it. He ignored it as best as he could, swinging his blade with the right hand that caught the student in the neck. He went down dazed with a large mark along his neck as Jarod looked to see another student there, his saber raised and ready to strike.

**"_That is enough!_"**

Those that were able to move turned to the direction that the command came from and all saw Master Karrde standing there. It was no surprise to Jarod to see him there, but what surprised even him was that Master Karrde's _lightsaber_ was in his hand, and its unique blue silver-cored blade lighting up the hallway.

Marin's eyes had drifted closed, but at that sharp sentence, she opened them again, pushing against the wall as she tried to stand. Master Karrde had come around the corner, and she could see the other students backing away from him slightly. Then she saw why. His _lightsaber_...... She blinked and then registered the humming that now filled the hallway. It was higher pitched than the training sabers. And the color... she had never seen it before... She tried to stand, and was able to, but had to lean against the wall as the pain in her shoulder made her eyes water.

"Master..." Jarod began to say. 

"Get Marin back to her quarters," Steffan said to Jarod, his voice telling all how he felt about finding this scene. "She's in no condition right now..."

Dilan walked up behind him, his senses having alerted him to what was going on. "Call for your mother," Steffan told him as he looked to the other four students. "And as for you four...to the main hall..._now_."

"Yes, Master," the four said very quickly and began to move to pick up the bokken and sabers they had dropped.

_"No,"_ Steffan told them. _"You leave them here."_

Marin swallowed at Steffan's voice. Even when he'd stopped Ethan two days ago, she'd never felt anger like this... so tightly controlled. She pushed carefully off the wall and smiled faintly when Jarod slipped her uninjured arm over his shoulder. She glanced at Master Karrde for a moment as she passed, and Dilan. Inwardly, she was trying to hold back angry tears. It was as if just as she was starting to like it here, the other students had to ruin it. She tried to let her angry thoughts go as she breathed slowly, trying to breathe through the pain in her shoulder. She didn't know what would happen to the four students who had accosted her.

* * *

The four waited in the main hall of the praxeum, kneeling on the mats that were part of the flooring in front of the low table that once was an altar for the monks. They realized now that they were in the wrong.

It had taken Master Karrde’s intervention for them to see that, and it was a message they had gotten in multiple ways. First and foremost was that he drew his own lightsaber, not one of the training sabers…its blue-silver blade alive and the first time any of them had seen it. The second had been the look in his eyes and the tone in his voice. They had never heard him use the tone he had in the hallway. He was truly upset and disappointed at what they had done, they knew now.

They stayed kneeling, wondering what would happen now when they heard the doors…all of them…closing behind them. Steffan walked in front of them, contemplating sitting on the seat the head abbot would have used had the monks still been here, but he remained standing behind the old altar.

“I could not,” he began to say in a soft tone, “be more disappointed with what the four of you have done. All of you have been through training with the Jedi since you were younger and had requested to come here…even devoting yourselves to my instruction. And you act out of spite and jealousy against a girl that has only been here a short while.”

“Master Karrde,” the first of the group began to say. “We realize now that….” Steffan’s look stopped the student in mid-sentence, letting the words hang there in the quiet air. “I am glad that the four of you realize the wrong you have committed. Not just against Marin, but against you brother Jarod as well. However, there is a consequence to the actions you have done. Do you understand?”

“Yes, master,” they all said as they knelt.

“You are confined to your quarters while I consult with others on the High Council,” he told them. “Meals will be brought to you and I want you four to meditate on your actions. Once I have talked to the other masters and meditated myself, a decision will be made on whether you remain here or if you will move to Chandrilla. You are dismissed.”

The four looked to each other before they bowed before Master Karrde again and left the room.

* * *

“How is she?” Steffan asked his wife as she was starting to come out of Marin’s quarters.

“Resting comfortably, I hope,” Jade answered, closing the door silently behind her. “I’ve taken care to treat the bruises they gave her and Jarod. Other than that, she needs more rest from the trial she went through…I started to put her into a light healing trance, then decided that she could just rest. Maybe when Callista returns again, she can give her some instruction on it.”

“If Jarius decides to let her stay for that amount of time,” Steffan said as he carried her pack for her and they walked out of the student’s quarters. “When he hears about this, he may decide to take her back home to continue her Mando training instead of continuing her training here.”

“To be honest,” she told him. “I am surprised that you took her on as a student here.”

“Why…or should I say _how_…could I turn her away?” he asked her as they walked across the courtyard. “It wasn’t just a favor for Jarius. Sensing her presence when they arrived, I could feel that there is a lot of potential in this girl. Even if she chooses Jarius’s path, she needs to know what she is capable of and the morals that can keep her from following whatever darkness could appear.”

Jade nodded as they left the praxeum to head towards their house. The sun was going to set soon and it looked to be a very lovely scene.

“I asked Ryneas to stay with them just in case,” she started to tell Steffan.

“I don’t think it will be necessary, but a good precaution,” he said as he took her hand in his as they walked.

“What will you decide to do?”

“I need to meditate and consult with the rest of the Council,” he told her. “Even though they’ve realized what they did was wrong, the fact that they succumbed to jealousy like that concerns me. If it is decided for them to stay here, their training will take a different turn, for certain.”

“Tomorrow, my love,” she told him as she moved a little closer to him as they approached the open field. The lake wasn’t far away and they could see their home on the other side. “Tonight, you promised Catherine a story and she’s probably ready for that and bedtime.”


	16. Chapter 16

Andrea walked into the main hall and went across the courtyard, watching the students practicing... noting that the four were still confined. Dilan was overseeing the students and Andrea nodded to him as she walked towards the student housing and entered through there. When she reached Marin's quarters, she slowly opened the old wood door and walked in, noting that the girl was still sleeping.

Slowly, Marin began to wake, sensing someone else in her room. In pure reflex, her hand grabbed for her belt, and the sheathed knives there before she was even awake. Then she opened her eyes and her senses, letting out a breath as she scrubbed the sleep sand from her eyes with her other hand. "_Jate Vaar'tur_, Andrea..." she said softly, her cheeks heating as she realized she had a firm grip on the knife.

"You can take it easy," Andrea told her with her customary smile as she sat down next to the bed. "I wanted to come and check on you."

"_Ni..ni ceta_..." Marin said, flushing again as she slipped the dagger back into its holster. "Guess I'm a little jumpy..." she said, fidgeting with the blanket for a moment before she carefully pushed herself to a sitting position, gritting her teeth against the curse that threatened to escape.

"I can understand after what those four put you and Jarod through," Andrea said softly. "He's doing better, by the way, but Master Karrde has him working on some things to work through his injury. Daddy's got a hard decision he's got to make about those four as well, so he apologizes for not being around to check on you."

Marin nodded quietly. She knew enough about the Way from her time here to know that what those students had done was serious. She chewed her lip for a few seconds, thinking. It almost made her want to cry, she was so frustrated. "I'm not trying to be everyone's friend, but I'm not trying to make enemies, either..." she finally said. Her fingers curled into the blanket as she bit down on calling them a rather nasty name in her head.

"For what its worth, they asked forgiveness from Daddy and Jarod," Andrea told her as she put her arm around Marin. "I know they haven't come to you yet....they're not sure how you would take it since you follow a different code than most of the others here."

Marin nodded, and turned towards Andrea, burying her face in the older girl's shoulder, her voice slightly muffled. "I just want to learn. I didn't ask for special treatment... I can't help how fast I learn..." she giggled. "I'm kinda like a data retrieval droid that way.." At Andrea's comment, she sighed. "I'm glad they're willing to admit what they were wrong.... but it doesn't change what happened."

Andrea nodded and let her cry. "Well, they know they're facing expulsion from here too. And you didn't ask for any of this. The reason I took you under my wing was that daddy felt I'd be the better choice to learn this particular form. No one else has a knack for the fourth form, so I guess that's the only way your special. You have a unique talent in the Force, just like everyone else in different areas. And I'll have you know the other students feel that there was no right call in what they did."

_That_ got her attention. "_Ori'haat_ (is that true, no bull)?" She asked, her eyes wide as she looked up at Andrea, absently brushing her hair from her face.

"Aye," Andrea told her. "They consider you one of their own. Dilan had to hold them back when the four walked from the Main Hall to their quarters for confinement."

Marin cursed softly, her eyes wide as that sank in. It almost made her start crying again as she remembered her comment to Jarod a few days before. She really hadn't thought about how much they might care for her.

Andrea just held her there. She really didn't know what to say, in some way, she considered Marin almost like her own padawan as she had started teaching her more and more of the form.

Marin bit her lip and sighed. "I should probably rest some more...." she grumbled a bit, hating sitting still for so long.

* * *

Jarius entered the doors of the praxeum late in the day, having just arrived back on the planet from a contract he’d been working on. He had some leads to follow on later, but felt the need to return and check on Marin’s progress. And, truth be told, he really missed his daughter. Ethan and Steffan both told him of how she had done during Ethan’s second test and he couldn’t be more proud of her at this moment.

He walked through the main hall and started to walk through the covered walkway that skirted the outer part of the courtyard. Respectful of the monastery, he wore the tunics of a warrior at-rest, an outer kimono over his trousers and boots, and kept his weapons belt on with his blaster at his thigh and his combat vibroblade on his left.

The students were out, probably on a late afternoon exercise, as he went to the section of the old place that Steffan had set aside for them. Jarius knew which room was his daughters and he opened the door slowly but was strangely surprised to see her at rest on the bed. But something seemed odd to him. Marin didn’t look like she was resting well, and showed signs of discomfort as well.

_'What had happened while he’d been gone this time?' _He noticed a book on her bedside table and knew it was a journal that she had begun writing in. It was actually something that he had encouraged her to do before they had come here. Curious, and knowing that she probably would not mind his reading it, he picked up the book and sat down in the chair that was next to her bed and started with one of the more recent entries…  
  
_.....Working with Andrea is really fun. She tries to make learning the Fourth Form fun, like a game. I really am enjoying the time away from the praxeum. I still feel a little as if I don't quite belong... But I do enjoy learning new things. We spent some time yesterday working on acrobatics..... It makes me happy I started working some acrobatics into my morning runs..._

It brought a smile to his face, knowing that she was enjoying the lessons she was learning from Master Karrde and the others here. It was a welcome surprise to know that his daughter was even taking an interest in training her and he still smiled as he continued reading…  
  
_Today was another lesson with Andrea before the day got hot. I've been spending a lot of time working on my forms whenever I can. After my lesson today, I was out in the clearing off to the east of the praxeum. It was quiet... until I started sensing someone. I wish I'd paid more attention at the time..._

_As it turned out, the person I'd felt was Ethan..... next thing I know, I'm waking up in stun cuffs and a blindfold in what I discovered was the hold of his ship. I got shocked badly a couple of times when I first woke up. It took me a good ten minutes to get out of the cuffs, and then another twenty or so to breach the lock on the hold hatch and then the main hatch. And that was just the beginning..._

_I spent the next day and a half trying to evade him in the forest, and shassa that wasn't easy. He had stun darts... and he seemed to know where I was... even without seeing me all the time... or hearing me... I don't know how he does it, and it's rather.... unnerving. Ended up taking to the trees for a while.... Have no idea why I thought of it, considering how miserably it failed last time..._

_But, I kept to the trees for a good while... until it got dark. Not long after the sun faded, I felt... something... It wasn't Ethan... I'd been sensing him more clearly since the whole ordeal started, which was strange. I couldn't really sense him at all when I first met him... but now..._

_He paced me pretty close through the night, darting me several times. At first light, I finally broke the tree line, reaching the clearing where Andrea's been holding my lessons. There are some large boulders there, and I distracted Ethan long enough to make it to the first one. Oh, he didn't like that and sprayed stun darts at the boulder. That gave me an idea. Trying to divert his attention with something else hadn't really worked, so I tried a more direct approach._

_Seeing myself in my mind, crouched behind that boulder, I projected it to him, making him think I took off for one boulder when I went to another..... Oh... he REALLY didn't like that [deleted words]. he sprayed so many darts towards my new hiding place that one ricocheted and tagged me._

_When I woke up, I felt like osik..... didn't know that trying that would drain me so much. I wasn't far from the praxeum by then. I made slow progress through the forest, but somehow he still tracked me... I had been trying to avoid the darts, but when that didn't work... I tried to deflect them. I wasn't really sure what I was doing, but I could feel them coming and just... misdirected them._

_He didn't like that much either.... it took me a while, but I finally climbed a tree close to the wall. I was scared..... I took a running leap from the highest limb I could reach... and barely made the wall. His darts followed me the whole way.....it took all the concentration I had to deflect them enough so I landed unscathed. Then I dropped to the courtyard._

_He followed me, and came at me with a bokken like a man possessed. I've never seen someone so angry... And the hits I landed just made it worse. It took Master Karrde stepping in to end the duel. I'm not sure how long it took Ethan to calm down, but I could tell he was quite mad.... _

That entry had gotten his attention, and he read over it again slowly. Master Karrde and Ethan had not given him details on what had happened during her test…certainly not about the duel they’d had at the end. Then again, he figured, they may not have wanted to talk about that part over a comm channel. Jarius assumed that it made sense and it didn’t really upset him about that, but it was the next entry that got his attention…

_The last couple days have been rather osik'la (screwed up). I'd been resting from the test Ethan had put me through.. until I couldn't take being still anymore. I had to get up and do something. So I decided to go take a walk. Apparently, that wasn't the best idea. Four students cornered me in the hall. All were armed.... two with bokken, and two with training sabers...._

_And then Jarod showed up. He tried to get them to back off, but they wouldn't listen... They crowded me to the floor, one lifting his saber to strike..... it never landed. As near as I can tell, Jarod dived in and knocked the strike wide, going after the remaining students. I could tell he got rather banged up... osik, I did too. One smacked me pretty hard in the shoulder with their bokken before Master Karrde finally came to break it up. _

_**With his saber lit.**.. I've never seen his lightsaber blade..... nor seen him pull it in the presence of students before. He was.... very upset... but it was tightly controlled.... like a panther waiting to strike. The four students were ordered to the main hall, and Jarod and I were taken off to our rooms. I haven't seen him since. I hope he's alright...._

It almost made Jarius come out of the chair. Four of the students…attacked _his _daughter? He was outraged when he noticed the motion of the door opening and looked to see Steffan standing there in the corridor. It did not take Jarius long to come out of the chair, putting the book back down as he did so and walk across to the door way.  
  
“I didn’t know you were…” Steffan began to say before Jarius cut him off.

“What is the meaning of your students attacking _my_ daughter?” Jarius asked in a hushed, but very upset tone. “What have you to say, _Master_ Karrde.”

It was the inflection of the last question that made Steffan’s face turn to match the look that Jarius was giving him.

“_Outside_,” Steffan told him quietly. “I will not have this discussion here.”

Jarius started down the corridor, his steps telling his mood now as Steffan followed him outside.

* * *

Slowly, Marin opened her eyes. She was almost certain she'd heard someone talking. And felt... Jarius? _'Was buir back already?' _She opened her eyes and rolled carefully onto her back, reaching out in the Force as she did so. He was here..... but out in the hall. She wanted to go and hug him, be wrapped in his strong arms, but she was still sore..... and the feeling she got from his was... angry.

It wasn't something she was used to sensing from him, and she frowned, glancing around her room. He'd been here.... the chair was still warm, and her journal had been moved slightly, meaning he'd probably read it. She sighed and cursed softly. 'I don't want to go..... but I can understand why he's upset...' she thought, looking towards the hall.

"Now," Jarius said in frustration as they entered the outer part of the courtyard, away from the training circle. "What the _frell_ happened?"

"Four students approached her," Steffan told him frankly. "Jealous at the time of her ability to pick up on my lessons quick, and for Andrea taking her under her wing. They had no call and they have expressed genuine remorse for it."

Jarius frowned, his fingers unconsciously curling into a fist as he remembered the tense set of Marin's shoulders. He took a breath, willing himself to relax. "What is to be done with them....?" He asked, referring to the four students. "Regardless of the remorse, they did something that goes against the Way..._"_

"They will be dealt with," Steffan assured him. "The other masters and I are going to meet and hold a council over this because this is something very serious and needs to be addressed _now_."

"And _Mar'ika_ and... Jarod, was it?" his voice had a concerned, yet slightly hard edge to it as he looked squarely at Steffan. "Master Karrde, I'm concerned. What if this should happen again? Maybe this isn't the best place for her to be right now." His voice sounded somewhat pained as he said that.

Steffan walked up and put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Jarod rushed to her defense, Jarius. Had most of the other students know what was about to happen, they would have too. Dilan had to take them out on a special run right now to keep them from having the idea of rushing to Marin's defense _after_ what happened. Needless to say, if the council makes the decision to let those four remain here, accepting a punishment that I'll merit out, they won't have an easy time. None of these other students are going to let them forget that, Jarius," he told him with a soft, confident smile. "They consider your daughter one of their own, whether she walks the Jedi path or not."

Jarius' eyes widened then, and he stared at Steffan for a moment before he spoke again. "This... Jarod.... how is he? I read some of _Mar'ika'_s journal, and got the sense the two are good friends..."

"He took a hit to his upper arm and bruised it good, but he gave better than what he got," Steffan told them. "Jarod was one of my first fresh students, brought to me by a fellow Jedi who sensed his talent in the Force. He's helped Marin along here since her first day."

That got Jarius to smile for the first time since he'd entered the praxeum earlier. "That's a good sign that she's made such good friends. I know that had to have been difficult at first, given her past.." he mused softly, sighing and rubbing his chin.

Steffan nodded. "She's taken some time to open up, but she has, I think. And when I say he gave more than he got, one of them needed a little more treatment than the others."

Jarius raised an eyebrow. "How do you mean...? _Mar'ika_'s journal didn't describe the fight in great detail..."

"Jarod is one of my better students since he came to me fresh. The others have had more traditional training in the Way," Steffan began to tell them. "He's really absorbed himself in learning what I instruct here. One of the four caught his training saber in the face. They're not used to that kind of attack in our sparring sessions so he was blinded for a short while."

Jarius swore softly in surprise. "I see." He paused for a moment, thinking. "Do you think I could speak to _Mar'ika_ for a little bit? She hasn't seen me in a week or so... I know she's resting..."

"She woke up just as we were walking outside," Steffan told him as he pointed to her window. "And is wondering what we were talking about."

Jarius grinned. "Always curious, that one. I'll go sit with her then. She's probably going _shabla_ crazy sitting still."

* * *

Marin sighed, and laid back carefully. They'd been outside for quite some time now, and she was getting restless. She wanted very much to at least see Jarius.... it had been quite some time. She almost got out of bed, but then remembered Andrea's last words, urging her to rest. She made a frustrated noise and tried to calm herself.

"Still having to learn some patience?" Jarius said as he stood in the doorway, with a smile on his face.

Marin grinned lopsidedly at him, and sat up carefully, hissing slightly as the movement pulled her shoulder. "_Buir_! You're back!" She glanced towards the window for a moment. "I thought I'd heard you in here earlier..."

"I was," he said as he moved to the edge of the bed and carefully hugged her. "Master Karrde and I had to have a word. Seems like you're getting all kinds of training and tests here."

Marin nodded, but sobered a little, burying her face in his tunic for a moment, her voice somewhat muffled by the fabric. "Sometimes.... I feel like.... it's almost too much." she fussed with the hem of her sleep shirt for a few moments, trying to describe how she was feeling.

"Are you wanting to leave?" He asked her, point-blank. "Master Karrde tells me you've made great progress here."

Marin bit her lip and hugged him tightly. "I kind of do.... but I feel like if I leave..... they win...." She swallowed, breathing slowly as she tried to calm the flare of anger. "I didn't ask for anything special when I came here...."

"You did," he told her. "You asked to learn how to use the power you've been given. They did too. From what I understand, you're treated no different than they are, your training differs from their sometimes, theirs from yours. All of you here are special, don't ever forget that. And," he added. "You are special to me. You are my daughter, not them...all the special that counts."

Marin smiled and buried her face in his tunic. "I've missed you.... wished you could be here training with me sometimes..." she said softly. She knew how he felt on that topic, though.

He smiled and closed his eyes. "I had some things I needed to take care of. I'm proud of what you've been able to accomplish here." He looked at her with a wider smile. "Being training by his daughter, no less. I understand she looks to you as her own padawan...almost. I have a feeling were you to walk that path, she might have just taken you as one."

Marin flushed and grinned. "I like her. She's nice, and she tries to make the lessons fun." She shifted for a moment. "You know my choice there, _buir_. I want to be with you....." She hugged him again. 'I'm just tired of being stuck in bed. I wish there was something I could do. Lady Karrde wants me to rest, though..." she sighed.

"They just want to make sure you're up to form when you're ready," he said, adding in a wink. "They just don't know you as I do. How're your shoulders? Can you rotate them with little pain?"

She frowned for a moment, testing her right shoulder. She could indeed move it, but when she put her shoulder through a rear rotation she hissed a curse, blushing as she realized she'd used one of the stronger _Mando'a_ words. "It only hurts when I rotate it backward...." she said finally.

"Do some rotations that get it close to that point, but not at it," he told her. "Get your muscles re-used to the motion slowly, then do full workarounds." He intentionally ignored the curse. With what she'd gone through...she was entitled to it.


	17. Chapter 17

It was a long and rather boring flight back from Mandalore for Callista and Xan but it didn't take long after their arrival on Cataan for them to be called into work as it were. A comm from Steffan broke Xan's near sleepwalking state as he was unloading the _Par'jila_. "How in the _Manda_???" he asked himself after listening to the message as he finished with the last load of provisions.

And as he dropped the last container, he looked across the docking bay to his wife and even though his helmet obscured his face, his surprise and confusion was radiating through the Force. "_Cal'ika_... I got questions here."  
  
Callista looked up from where she was tinkering with the hoversled, cursing silently. "_Me'ven_?" She set down her tools and crossed the docking bay to where he was. The message icon was blinking in her HUD. When she reached him, she listened too. "Some of Steffan's students attacked another one... What's on your mind, _cyar'ika_?" She leaned against a stack of crates, but beneath her _buy'ce_ she was frowning.  
  
Xan took off his helmet and ran his hand through his hair. "You mean besides the fact Steffan basically hauled off a comm not knowing if we were on Cataan or not?" he said with the confusion finding a home in his voice. "I didn't even know Jarius had a padawan, never mind a training one as a Mando." He yawned and rubbed his face with a free hand. "I don't like it, it's the age-old prejudice again... only Jedi are supposed to know better." he frowned.  
  
Callista frowned at his words. "I don't think she's Jarius' Padawan, _Xan'ika_..." She reached into the Force for a moment. "It's more than that... As to Steffan.... he informed us because you are on the Council, and knowing him, he felt we could perhaps provide input on the situation...."  
  
Xan scoffed. "Yeah, I know. But _shab_, we just _got_ here for _Manda_'s sake. I was hoping for 12 hours of sleep while not moving." he complained. "But I guess we'd better get going. Otherwise Jade will have my armor for a trophy for keeping her _riduur_ waiting."  
  
Callista chuckled. "We can rest after...... something tells me this needs to be dealt with...." She reached up and unsealed her own helmet, shaking her hair loose as she pulled off the close-fitting hood. "The council agreed that something has to be done, but they don't feel expulsion is the answer, that could create more problems.... the option they presented according to his message was Chandrila... it's a more traditional academy. But is there another option?" she mused.  
  
Xan seemed to stare off into space as they made their way to the chambers for a minute before cracking a lopsided grin. "I got an idea, and this will give us a chance to see this new one in action as well."   
  
"_Me'ven?_" Callista looked at him a moment, catching the gleam in his eye as she ran her fingers through her hair before she pulled the close-fitting hood back up.  
  
"You'll see _cyar'ika_." he said as they rounded the final corner and stood just in front of the doors to the chamber. "_Muun'bajir_.." he said before opening the doors and walking in.  
  
Callista blinked, and pulled her _buy'ce_ back on before she walked in beside him, taking in the occupants of the room. Behind her helmet, her eyes widened. She could guess who Jarius was by the way he carried himself, and the girl with a similar tunic had to be Marin. _'Manda, she was young...._' Callista shook herself and turned her attention to Steffan.

* * *

Marin walked into the hall with Jarius just behind her. They had taken a walk earlier to give her a chance to stretch her muscles and get used to being out again. When they had returned, word had reached them that a decision of sorts had been made by the High Council and that Master Karrde wanted all parties involved to meet in the main hall.  
  
She looked over and saw Andrea standing close to the chair that Steffan normally used when he sat in the monastery’s main hall to address the students. On the mat flooring, she noticed that Jarod was kneeling, facing the chair in anticipation of something. Jarius saw him and looked to Andrea, who nodded…answering his unspoken question of who it was. Marin walked up to him and knelt next to him. When Jarod noticed that it was her, he looked in her direction, then noticing that Jarius was walking up.   
  
Jarod got to his feet in a moment and bowed to the elder Mandalorian. “Sir,” he said politely. “It is an honor to meet Marin’s father. She has spoken very highly of you.”  
  
Jarius nodded at the statement, it a more…traditional…Cataani greeting. “I am honored to meet you, Jarod,” he answered, clapping his hand on the youth’s shoulder, “and am grateful for your rush to my daughter’s defense.”  
  
“I would not allow anyone to attack her in such a way,” Jarod told him. “It wasn’t just a matter of honor, as I consider her my friend.”  
  
“May she always have friends like you, then,” Jarius said as he let the boy sit back down and walked over to Andrea, who bowed her head down for a moment. “Highness,” Jarius greeted her as he returned the bow. “When I heard that you had taken her under your wing, it was a pleasant thought indeed.”  
  
“She is an excellent learner,” Andrea told him. “Daddy should be here in a few moments.”  
  
It was about that time that the doors leading off the side opened and the four that he had heard about entered the hall, pausing to look at him. They weren’t told who he has, but the fact that he had a blaster on his hip and his tunic was the same cut as Marin’s told them everything. He spared them the glare he had thought about giving them, but he didn’t need what ability he had in the Force to tell that seeing him made them more nervous.  
  
“Go forward and kneel,” he heard Master Karrde’s voice behind him as they moved again towards the main area of the hall, kneeling just as Jarod and Marin were, but a bit of space between the two groups.   
  
Steffan was behind them and nodded to Jarius as he stayed there with Andrea before he moved around and sat in the low seat that almost had him close to the floor. He looked over the six students kneeling there, returning the bow that they gave him.   
  
“The High Council has convened and we have all meditated on what needs be done here,” he began to tell them. “The decision we reached was not an easy one and took some deliberation.” He let that hang in the air for a moment before he looked to the four students that had attacked Marin.   
  
“The four of you have brought up a serious issue,” he told them. “But the council feels that expulsion from the Order is not a wise decision.” That part of his announcement sent a wave of relief from the students and almost brought a protest from Jarius had Steffan not held his hand up in Jarius’s direction to keep him from saying anything yet. The Cataani Jedi let the silence hang in the air before he brought the wristcomm on his left arm up and keyed in a channel he had already set. “Master Qenadius, would you and Callista join us, please?”   
  
He closed the channel and looked to the group of students, addressing the four first. “What you did cannot be overlooked…but there is an opportunity to redeem yourselves in not just your eyes…or in yours,” he added as he looked to Marin and Jarod, “as well as the rest of the students here. A master has proposed a challenge that the Council agreed to present to the six of you. If the four of you accept and complete it to his satisfaction and mine, you will have earned your right to remain at this praxeum. If you decline, or fail to complete the challenge to our reckoning, you will instead be sent to study at the Jedi Academy on Chandrilla. You must make a choice.”  
  
It was at that moment that the sound of the massive wooden doors opened, drawing everyone’s attention to the two figures that now started to enter the room.  
  
Steffan nodded to both of them as they started to enter the hall while Andrea half-smiled at seeing her adopted sister in her armor. Jarius, though, had only met Xan on one occasion. It wasn't long enough for him to get a feel of Xan's style and caught himself wondering what his fellow Mandalorian was planning for this.  
  
Marin turned her head as she heard the doors open. As the two figures entered, she gasped in surprise... and a little excitement, stifling a surprised curse.   
  
Callista grinned slightly, inclining her head in Andrea's direction in greeting as she looked about the room, trying to gauge the emotions of those present. The four students kneeling behind Marin were nervous... Marin and her companion seemed nervous, but also excited. Jarius... well, he was hard to read. She'd met him before, but he'd always been a quiet man.  
  
Xan looked at the gathered people and gave a barely perceptible nod to Jarius and a wink to Andrea before bowing, even though it was somewhat stiff to Steffan. "I'm not going to bother asking how you knew we were on Cataan, Master Karrde, but I can see the seriousness of this situation." he then looked at the four students facing expulsion and glared at them. "And I'm extremely disappointed."  
  
Callista almost said something, but she got the sense that Xan knew what he was doing. She bowed politely to Andrea and Steffan, before grasping Jarius' arm in the warrior's grip.  
  
Steffan suppressed his thoughts on that for a moment before he started to introduce the two of them. Out of the students, only Jarod knew who either of them was. "This is Master Xan Qenadius," he said as he stood up and returned the bows. "He is a Jedi Master as well as a Mandalorian warrior. His wife, Callista Gseran, is also a Jedi Knight...and one of my past students."  
  
Jarod looked to see the reaction of the other four students to the two newcomers. Andrea could sense their nervousness, but shrugged it off as she went to hug her sister and Xan. Mando or not, he was her brother-in-law and he was going to get one.   
  
Marin's eyes widened, and she glanced at Jarius, catching his small nod as she made the connection. Callista grinned, spotting Andrea headed their way. She pulled off her helmet and hood, exposing her dark brown hair and fair skin as she was enveloped in a hug by Andrea.  
  
Xan knew that trying to weasel his way out of a hug from Andrea was like playing hide and seek with a Sarlacc, you always lost. So he embraced the younger Cataani with a bit of a playful scowl on his face for the embarrassment. "Now that I'm properly embarrassed, I suppose we better get to the purpose of this little chat," he said somewhat gruffly.  
  
Callista grinned and jabbed him gently in the ribs with her armored elbow. "_Udesii_... it won't kill you.... might make you stronger..." she told him with a wink before she sobered slightly.  
  
That brought a slight laugh out of Steffan as he motioned for Xan to present his idea to the students.  
  
"Ok, I know what happened and I know why. That doesn't bother me. What bothers me is that it happened in the first place." He looked at the four troublemakers again. "Forgetting that Master Karrde has the final say in anything here for a minute, do you want a chance to prove you deserve to be Jedi?"  
  
Marin frowned for a moment as she tried to make sense of what Xan was saying. She looked to Jarod for a moment, flicking a glance to Jarius before both she and Jarod nodded.   
  
Xan nodded to Marin and Jarod before looking again at the other four. "Sandcats got your tongues, gentlemen?" he scowled again at them. "Speak up while you have a chance, cause right now your very place in this Praxeum depends on me and my judgment."  
  
The one closest to Marin and Jarod, the one who had been the first to speak for them before the offense...and also the first to see his bad judgment and asked forgiveness, bowed to the Jedi Master. "Sir, I cannot speak for the others, but I have remorse in my heart for what happened. I want nothing more than to be able to redeem myself and learn my place and my path...I accept whatever challenge you present to me."  
  
Xan smiled from ear to ear after hearing the response but it was not a smile that filled anyone with joy, in fact, it was a rather evil-looking smile. "You look for redemption _me'ven_? _Jate_ (good)....cause by the Force you are going to earn that redemption. The six of you are to report to me outside the main gate at 0400 hours tomorrow morning. You are not allowed to bring any weaponry with you, including sabers.." turning to Marin, "and _beskar'gam_. You are going to go hunting....together."  
  
Marin's eyes widened. "That won't be a problem, Master Qenadius, as I don't have any _beskar'gam_ yet...." She traded a look with Jarod, her gaze sliding to the other four and then Jarius.  
  
Xan looked at Marin with a bit of a scowl. "This will not be as easy as you think, _vod'ika_. Have you hunted any apex predators bare-armed before?"  
  
Marin swallowed, chewing her lip nervously at his question. "_Nayc_, Master Qenadius, I have not..."  
  
Xan nodded brusquely. "Then think of hunting four of them then."  
  
Marin couldn't help the whispered curse that fell from her lips at that. She felt Jarod nudge her, and she flushed slightly, realizing her slip. She opened her mouth to apologize.  
  
Jarius looked at her, his eyes telling her that he heard her slip and he glanced at Xan to see if he had picked it up.  
  
"Told you this would not be easy, _vod'ika_. But the six of you need the reminder." He looked at the other four. "And some of you need a clue as to how 'special' being raised in my culture really is." He said with a growl that all but said that such a statement was foolish.   
  
He gazed over the assembled padawans one last time before turning back to Steffan. "Still it is Master Karrde's decision whether this takes place or the first option will."  
  
Steffan stood up and walked around to look over the six of them. Marin and Jarod both accepted, as did the one student. He turned his attention to the other three students. "Do you let him speak for you or do you have no voice at all," he asked them, concerned that they had said nothing...now or earlier when he first brought them in the hall.  
  
"I accept the challenge, master," the student on the end said.   
  
"I too," the one next to him said. But the third had held his silence still..and Steffan let it hang there for several moments, noting that the youth looked down at the floor.   
  
Xan grinned at that and looked at Jarius and then at his wife but he remained silent.  
  
Marin glanced sideways at the last, confused. Yeah, this would be hard, but she knew it had to be a better option then Chandrilla.... though she didn't know much about the other academy.  
  
"So be it," Steffan said to the third one. "The five of you pack what supplies you will need. Essentials only. Then return to your quarters to rest for the trial."  
  
Callista shook her head at Xan, working to hide a smile of her own. She could tell that Marin seemed a bit excited about the prospect of the test. But then, the girl was used to this kind of thing.  
  
Xan spoke up. "Get plenty of rest, cause calisthenics tomorrow before the hunt will still continue like always."  
  
Marin nodded. "Yes, Masters..." the students replied. She bowed along with the rest and rose, heading out to her room with one last look towards Andrea and then Jarius.... with a fleeting glance towards the two armored figures.  
  
The one that stayed there, looking down for a moment before looking up at Master Karrde, the look on his face said it all.   
  
"Andrea," Steffan said to her. "See to it he is ready to travel. I will contact Jil-qun at the Academy and have him send a shuttle. In the meantime, he can stay in his quarters tonight."  
  
Xan looked at the boy. "Just one word of caution for you, boy," Xan said to him, knowing he'd catch hell later for this but his pride demanded it. "When you hear a Mandalorian say 'Don't mess with Mandos, mate', We're serious about that. I suggest if you wish to live longer, the next time you run across one of us....don't even think about doing what you did here."  
  
"Yes, father," Andrea said as she gestured for the student to follow her. With them gone, he looked to Callista and Xan. "What were you planning to hunt, just out of curiosity?"  
  
Xan scratched his head. "Well, this is where I fill you in a bit more I guess, _me'ven_?" He looked positively sheepish. "I'm sure there are wolves of some sort around these forests, but the hunt is not meant to be successful...at least in terms of the quarry."  
  
"How do you mean...?" Callista asked, tilting her head slightly as she hefted her _buy'ce_.  
  
Xan looked at Callista. "What was the one thing in this whole affair that was missing? What if it was there from the beginning, none of this would've happened?"  
  
"Wolfhounds can be pretty formidable," Steffan told him as he leaned against the table, not responding to that second comment yet. "Not much different from a Vorksner...they're more dangerous in packs, though. You'll have to be careful about that part."  
  
She frowned for a moment. "They..... weren't working as a group... except when those four attacked Marin..."  
  
Steffan sighed and leaned up against the table some more. "He's right, Callista. Teamwork has been missing here. The incident opened my eyes to that."  
  
Xan nodded. "And you don't work within a group well without communication, right? This exercise is meant to get them thinking as a group, working to not only stay alive but to adapt to an extremely hard task."  
  
"_Elek_...." she said softly, her voice slightly sad. "That's an important skill... for anyone to have... but especially _Jetiise_..."  
  
"Think about it from their shoes for a minute. You are given a near-impossible task. But your pride would still want you to make a decent showing right? What would _you_ have to do in their place?" Xan continued.  
  
"I'd have to figure out how to make the best use of the skills at hand... be they mine or someone else's..." she mused for a moment.  
  
"The hardest part of that task will be the other three," Steffan told them both. "Jarod and Marin seem to pair together well on several occasions. Their test will be working with the others after what had happened."  
  
"That's why I put them in the same bind as Marin and Jarod. They have the same skills, otherwise, they wouldn't be here. But now that they are in the same boat, and have the same challenge, don't you see that will alter the perceptions they have towards Marin and vice versa."  
  
"Aye," Steffan agreed. "And if this works well, its something that..hopefully..they can pass on to the others. I'm wondering if this challenge you've given them..or something similar..would be worth adding to what they're already learning."  
  
Jarius had come over while they'd been discussing the task, but so far, he'd remained quiet. Now, he spoke, turning his attention to Xan. "That's a good point, and a good lesson for all of them."  
  
Xan grinned. "Wouldn't hurt...Jarius and I know this cause we were raised like this. It certainly wouldn't hurt Jedi students having the same kind of other skills as we are raised to have. In fact, it would only make the Order that much more formidable."  
  
Jarius nodded. "I agree there.... as the _Mando'ade_ like to say... that which doesn't kill you only makes you stronger.."  
  
Steffan nodded softly at these ideas, smiling to himself. "Xan, you should have been a teacher with some of these ideas you have."  
  
Steffan's comment brought a slight chuckle out of Jarius. "Xan _teaching_? I'd love to see that."  
  
Xan nearly choked. "I think if I was teaching, the faculty not the students would be running for the hills...I still get funny looks from the seamstress and that was when I was a boy..." That brought a laugh out of Steffan now. He could imagine a few members of the council that would be picking up their jaws at the news of the Mando teaching Jedi students. The thought had him laughing enough where he almost had to catch his breath.  
  
Callista burst out laughing. "Oh I don't know, _cyar'ika_... you're a pretty good teacher, I think.."  
  
Xan just shook his head. "Anyway, one question I have here Steffan." And he looked at Steffan hard, as if trying to figure out something. "How in the name of the _Manda_ did you even know we were on Cataan!"  
  
Jarius just smirked and watched the exchange, trading knowing looks with Callista. They both knew Steffan had his ways.  
  
Steffan tapped the side of his head. "Xan, you're good, but you're not _that_ good at concealing your presence in the Force. I felt you and Callista when you arrived in the system."  
  
Callista groaned. "Knew I should have worked on that...."  
  
Xan shrugged and looked at the other Mandos. "Ever since Rhen Var he's been spooky like that...."  
  
"I showed you the technique," Steffan told her as he looked in her direction.  
  
She frowned for a moment. "Ah, you did... though I guess I need to work on it more......" She grinned, her cheeks flushing.  
  
"Want to learn how?" Steffan asked Xan. "Myk or I can show you."  
  
"Technique?" Xan cocked an eyebrow "Myk knows??? Oh man...." Xan groaned.  
  
"_Udesii_..." Callista laughed.  
  
"Force Concealment takes a lot of work, Xan," Steffan told him. "But the other part you're talking about after Rhen Var, Myk showed me that in the middle of the fight."  
  
Callista nodded. "I'm still working on the Force Concealment. Steffan started teaching me the last time I was here... before we went to _Manda'yaim_.."  
  
"Concealment.....I can see why it's useful." Xan thought for a moment but then the good sense part of his brain shut down again. "But Correlians don't need any advantages over Mandos! It's against the rule of nature."  
  
That brought another laugh out of Steffan. "All I can say, Xan, is that you'll have to take it up with Myk. And if you wanted to wait another week or so, he and Arie should be here."  
  
Callista chuckled and punched Xan lightly in the arm. "_Kuur_... you forget... he had a lot of time to figure this stuff out..."  
  
Xan sighed. "I'll be glad to see them, especially the General. But I'm just glad we got here in one piece. Things on _Manda'yaim_ are getting bad."  
  
"How so?" Jarius asked from where he stood. He'd been so tied up with his own contracts and with training Marin that he'd been out of the loop on things.  
  
"The _Kyr'tsad_ what you would call the Death Watch is getting bolder. During our stay, there were fifteen raids at secure positions all over Keldabe. All of then suicide attacks. One nearly got the _Mand'alor_."  
  
This surprised Jarius and Steffan both. "_My Lady_..." Jarius whispered at this knowledge. "The Death Watch....." It started to bring up an old feeling inside, one that caught Steffan's attention and he laid his hand on Jarius's shoulder to help calm him.   
  
"Control," Steffan whispered to his friend very quietly. Jarius sighed at the comment and started to walk around some now.  
  
"_Mand'alor _stated briefly prior to the attack on him that it would be the position of the Protectorate to aid the New Republic in it's efforts against the _Siit_. Death Watch then stated that if _Mand'alor_ did not back down, the Protectorate would have to fight battles on two fronts. All but threatening civil war."  
  
Callista glanced over at Jarius, feeling the swell of emotion from him. After a moment's thought, she went over and laid her hand on his shoulder a moment before returning to Steffan and Xan. She figured now wasn't the best time or place to ask about it.  
  
Xan paused. "I take it, your _riduur_ was a victim of them, _Jar'ika_?"  
  
Steffan rubbed his chin as he thought on it till Xan asked his question, making him bring his eyes up to Xan then drift to Jarius. Jarius only nodded, his gun hand tightening up. "My wife and daughter... to get to me since I wouldn't take their offer to join up."  
  
Callista's heart lurched at the raw pain she felt coming off of him... though she could tell he was working hard to control it.   
  
Steffan looked over in Callista direction, nodding to her when they made eye contact. Jarius didn't notice it and started rubbing his hand. "If you're investigating this, Xan, then I suggest talking to a Dug over around the old section of Mos Espa. I was on an information retrieval contract last and heard him mention them... gave me a lead on the specific Death Watch group that's responsible."  
  
Xan nodded but something cold started crystallizing in his gut. "Sounds good, but also not so good if it means what I think it does. Plus there are other rumors..."  
  
"What other rumors," Jarius asked suddenly, turning to look at him. He didn't want to wait for an answer and he crossed the room to rejoin them. "What other rumors, Xan?"  
  
"Calm down," Steffan told him in his teacher's tone. "Jarius, you're contemplating a path that you've already walked...and you know where it leads."  
  
"It's still hearsay among the _Mando'ade_ that frequent the tapcafs, but there is a rumor that the Death Watch has formed it's own alliances."  
  
That got Steffan's attention now. "....the Sith?" he asked.  
  
Xan looked at Jarius. "Vengeance will wait till the enemy is truly known, _vod_... No, the Death Watch has had too much personal history being used by the _Siit_ to ever trust them again. But that's all I know right now."  
  
Steffan nodded, his thoughts interrupted by the deep sound of the bell echoing through the hall.   
  
Callista looked back and forth between them, staying silent for the moment. There was something about the way Jarius had asked that question that had her slightly worried. She looked across to Steffan. "I'll need to talk to you later..."  
  
"Agreed," he told her as he looked to the others. "They've prepared dinner if you three would like to join the students."  
  
Callista smiled then and slipped her arm through Xan's. "Certainly..."  
  



	18. Chapter 18

Later on, after Steffan had returned home, he had sat in his chair looking at the fire that still went on in the living room fireplace when he noticed Callista walking into the room and motioned for her to take a seat. "You look like a person who would like a few answers," he observed to her.  
  
Callista chuckled and shook her head at him as she sat down. She was dressed now in a well-worn coverall. "I... noticed earlier that _Jar'ika_ was having a hard time getting a handle on his emotions when the topic of DeathWatch and his wife came up..." she said after a moment.  
  
Steffan nodded and got up to put a few extra logs on the fire and leaned against the stone mantle for a moment. "Jarius was approached by the Death Watch to recruit him. He wasn't a _Mando_ at the time, but somehow, word of mouth about his combat service and accomplishments reached them and they thought his skills would be useful. When he refused, they decided to send him a message. His wife and unborn daughter were on a transport from their home to Cataan for a medical check when she disappeared. What was left of her was found a week or so later. The night that Jarius was given the news, there was a message for him from the same Mando who approached him. What they didn't know was Jarius had the ability to use the Force...unknown to even him. And his sorrow turned to fury when he got that message."  
  
Callista's face paled slightly, but she wasn't as surprised as she would have been. She'd seen their handiwork first hand. "What did the message contain...?" she asked softly. Then she nodded. "Sorrow can give one power.... and it can be dangerous..." she said, staring into the fire.  
  
"He never told me what it said," Steffan told her as he sat back down. "But he started with the one that approached him... in a way I had never heard of one doing before....after beating every bit of information he could from the _Mando_, he strapped him to the end of his ship's engines before heading to his next stop. And it just kept going from there until a fellow Mandalorian and I was able to find him and stop him."  
  
Callista couldn't help it, and she cursed in _Mando'a_. "A man consumed by such sorrow is hard to reason with...." She chewed her lip for a moment. "I'm glad you found him..... I'd hate to think what would have happened if you hadn't." Then she smiled. "And he wouldn't have found Marin.... from what I can tell, having her in his life has helped a lot. Still... that's a heavy burden for one to carry..."  
  
"It is. And I'm glad he found her as well...from what I understand, it has helped them both. I think what really got to him was the fact that Marin is the age his daughter would have been by now, and that was a driving force behind him adopting her as his own."  
  
She nodded. "_Elek_..... that makes sense..." she chewed her lip for a moment in thought. "From what I've seen, she's his whole life now. I'm sure she's had _Mando_ training, and she's getting training in the Way from you.... but what of other skills? I noticed she was walking a bit stiffly..."  
  
"That would be from a trial that the _Mando_ that helped me stop Jarius put her through...I believe you remember Ethan?"  
  
Callista nodded. "Also some residuals from that fight she was in?" She smiled slightly. "_Et'ika's Mando'ad _to the core..... he was raised that way. I met him during our stay on _Manda'yaim _... that is before he left. Presumably to head out this way."  
  
"He let the fact that Marin was starting to show him up in his own game get to him." Steffan said with a slight chuckle. "Marin has a natural ability of Force Concealment as well as concealing herself from non-Force users. Thanks to Jarius' training at his home in that deep forest, she knows how to move through forests pretty well. She hasn't been here long, but her saber technique is improving by leaps and bounds... like she was a natural, again. Andrea has been teaching her the Forth Form...and expressed to me her feelings to her almost like her own padawan. Personally, her abilities, her thirst for learning all she can...it reminds me of someone else I know."  
  
Callista grinned. "_Kandosii_! I get the feeling that Ethan will calm down. He's just... set in his ways a bit..." She leaned forward a bit. "Force Concealment, _me'ven_? That's a rather rare skill to have a natural talent for isn't it?"  
  
"It is," he told her.  
  
"Oh?" Callista asked, raising an eyebrow. “She seems to absorb anything you teach her quickly. A handy skill, that.”  
  
"Yes, it is," He said as he looked at her. "Reminds me a lot of you when you started to learn from me."  
  
Callista chuckled. "Ah, now that you mention it..." She clasped her fingers over her knee. "I could see about teaching her some basic healing techniques... she could probably use them, what with the training she does with _Jar'ika_ and _Et'ika_.."  
  
He chuckled a nodded at that comment. "Well, you felt the sudden recognition in her when you first entered the hall?"  
  
"_Elek_, I did...... though I know I've never met her before.... though I've met both _Jar'ika_ and _Et'ika_ on different occasions..."  
  
"Your reputation has preceded you with her," Steffan told her. "If you ask, I'm fairly certain she will enjoy the chance to learn. And be prepared for a lot of questions, the girl is like a Mon Calamari sponge when it comes to information."  
  
Callista did laugh now. "I'll keep that in mind. It's good that she's curious though. I don't know much about her, but I did get the feeling that she's been feeling a bit out of place. So her asking questions is a good thing..."  
  
"I think that is mainly because of her past," Steffan said. "Jarius found her as an orphan and all she's known between then and coming here was just her and Jarius with one visit from Ethan. This has been an entirely new experience for her." He looked at the chrono displayed in the corner of the family's flatscreen. "If you're going with them in the morning, you'll need some rest too, daughter. And I'm sure Xan doesn't like falling asleep without you close nowadays."  
  
"Hmm..." she mused for a moment. "That makes sense now, and it does explain her quiet and slightly withdrawn demeanor." She sighed. "You're right, _buir_...." she rose and hugged him. "Fair evening."

* * *

It was chilly outside the praxeum's gates that morning. In fact, if his eyes could've been trusted on the lack of sleep he had, he would swear that some of the treetops had a light frost glinting in the moonlight. He could certainly tell it in the air as his breath was turning into a fog every time he breathed out. But the early time was needed, especially since wolfhounds tended to travel in the earlier parts of the day, saving their strength when it was fully light for rest and communion with the pack.  
  
As Xan waited for the five students to arrive, he wondered what on earth possessed him to wear normal robes instead of _beskar'gam_ this morning. but then it occurred to him _'they need to see we're all equal in this, no exceptions.'_ He allowed himself to yawn briefly before he heard the doors to the praxeum open and groans fill the air as the students made their way to the gate.  
  
Marin was one of the first of the five to exit the praxeum. The early morning fog hovered close to the ground, and she looked around, spotting Master Qenadius off to the left. Settling her small pack over her shoulder, she headed over to him.  
  
Jarod was the second to exit the praxeum. Knowing the environment they'd be going into, he went with more durable trousers with his boots and only wore his inner kimono and vest with the belt and a pack that slipped over both shoulders to hold his gear. Per the Mandalorian's order, he carried no weapons, but rations and water along with a few other items that would come in handy. There already was a light sheen on his forehead from doing a few warmup stretches and exercises in the training circle. Seeing Marin already there, it surprised him that he didn't feel her pass by him as he had warmed his body up for the cool air of the day ahead.  
  
Marin spotted him and wandered over. "_Jate Vaar'tur_, Jarod..." she said, settling her pack on her shoulders as she walked with him towards Master Qenadius. Privately, she was glad he'd be along, for she still wasn't too sure about the other three.  
  
The remaining three came at different times, mostly similar dressed as Jarod was, expecting that their robe would be more of a hindrance in the woods. They also carried packs and nodded to Marin and Jarod as they arrived.   
  
"What do you think he's got in mind?" Jarod asked her as he stretched a little more.  
  
Marin shrugged. "_Manda_ only knows...... if it's anything like what _buir_ and _Et'ika_ put me through... it will be quite a challenge..."  
  
"I couldn't sleep much at all," one of the others said as he looked out over the forest below. "Wondering what was going to be happening. I regret what brought this up, Marin..and I sincerely apologize. But I have a feeling that...we're actually going to have... well, I can't describe it..."  
  
"A good time?" Jarod asked half-jokingly. "I'm not sure if what I've heard about Master Qenadius's reputation is even half-true."  
  
Xan scowled when he saw the size of the packs. He didn't say a thing but he walked over to the new arrivals and looked at the packs closely. While he didn't think they would have brought anything that could've been used as a weapon, the size of the packs were a concern. They were almost overpacked. "Future advice young ones, you don't need that many ration bars and changes of clothes for a hunt of a few hours length," Xan said in a gentle tone. "Warm-up then I'll fill you all in." He looked at the Jarod and Marin and nearly broke into a smile but the concern for the lesson at hand kept that from his face.  
  
Marin raised an eyebrow at the other boy, gesturing for him to continue. "I don't think I ever caught your name.." She stopped when Xan approached them and listened when he spoke. The others _were_ overpacked a bit. She'd learned to pack light.... her training with _Et'ika_ had come in handy.  
  
"Yes, Master," the one that had spoken up said as he started to give some room for the others to work. "It's Bran... and it should've been the first thing I said when you got here." He offered a slight smile and started his warm-up stretches that he'd been taught.  
  
Jarod looked at him with his own smile and looked at Marin before he started to resume his stretch. "Its a start."  
  
Marin shrugged, a slight smile tugging at the corner of her mouth as she set down her small pack and began working through the warm-ups Dilan had taught her... and some of the Teras Kasi ones that Jarius had.  
  
One of the others had seen a slight bit of conversation and looked down for a moment before he looked at Marin. "Davit," he told her as he started to warm up as well.  
  
The third also offered a smile as he started to stretch. "Koya."  
  
Marin smiled slightly, trying to be encouraging, though she was still a bit wary of them. "_Su'cuy_ to all of you..." she said, reaching over to clasp each of them by the forearm in turn, as she'd been taught.  
  
Xan cleared his throat and waited till everyone had turned their attention to him. "_Jate Vaar'tur_ everyone. For those that don't know, that means 'Good Morning'." He allowed a small smile to cross his lips before continuing. "Today, you all are going to experience something that a few of you thought of as 'special' training. This is a hunt as stated to you all. It is known in _Mando'a_ as _muun'bajir_ or 'train hard'. That means that nothing about this task will be easy. You will have to rely on each other and your skills and best utilize them as a group to secure your objective."  
  
He paused. "Your objective is to kill and bring back to the gates, six hours from now, no less than four male wolfhounds of adult size." he stopped to allow this to sink in.  
  
Jarod's eyes widened only slightly at the announcement of their task, nodding softly as he thought about what it would take to do this.  
  
Marin hid a smile as he translated the _Mando'a_ phrases. She frowned slightly, surprised as he continued. _'Four in six hours? That was asking a lot...'_  
  
"Now normally wolfhounds would be hunted with slugthrowers or vibroblades. You do not have this luxury. But what you do have is the ability to make do with creative thinking and teamwork in order to complete this task. That will require you all to do something that your previous fight did not show....communication."  
  
Marin swallowed, chewing on her lip for a moment. Since they didn't have weapons, they'd have to make some. She started making a list in her head of materials they'd need for that she pushed to her feet. Six hours from then would put the sun high. She glanced at the other three, seeing that they made eye contact now. That was a good sign.  
  
"Now then, this task can be completed if you remember your skills, each other and remember that you all have one thing in common....the Force. With such an ally on your side, you can complete this task. It will be highly difficult, no doubt. But if you do it will show that no matter what culture, or race or language. We are stronger if we are together."  
  
Jarod was making a mental note too. It had been a while since he had to rely on the kind of hand-fashioned weapons they were going to need for this. He caught Marin's look and nodded softly. Bran nodded at this some, from what Jarod could tell, but he could tell that Davit and Koya were new to this.  
  
"When you have completed your task or the 6 hours have expired, you are to present yourselves in front of Master Karrde, myself and Knight Gseran in the Council room with your kills. At such a time, we'll then make our final decision. Now then, questions?"  
  
Marin took a deep breath. She'd caught the bewildered look of the other two as well. She smiled slightly at Xan's words. They did indeed have the Force one their side. She looked to Jarod and shook her head, but got the sense the others might have questions.

* * *

Jarod thought about it for a good moment after Master Qenadius gave them their final instructions. "Well," he started out, walking down the trail. "If we're going to do this, we're going to need the right tools for the job. There's a stream not far down, we should be able to get a good start there."  
  
"The right tools?" Bran asked as he fell in behind him.   
  
"Aye," Jarod answered as the other two and Marin followed along. "He said we couldn't bring weapons _with_ us....didn't say anything about not making them."  
  
Marin grinned. "Exactly. I was more paying attention to what he _didn't_ say...." She skirted around the three boys until she was next to Jarod. "I know how to make some simple weapons. _Buir_ and _Et'ika_ taught me as part of my training.."  
  
"Good," Jarod said as he looked over at Bran. "Have you done anything like it?"  
  
"Made a few wooden ones before...stakes mostly," Bran answered as he looked to the other two. "You?"  
  
Both shook their heads. "I didn't have that kind of background," Davit answered.   
  
"And, sad to say, I came from Coruscant," Koya added to it. "Didn't know what a forest was like till I came here."  
  
Marin couldn't help a sympathetic smile from crossing her face for a moment. She traded a look with Bran and Jarod. "Looks like we'll be giving them a crash course in hunting with primitive tools then..." She was already scouting around for some good straight branches for spears. She'd been pocketing some appropriate small stones along the path.  
  
Jarod had picked a few up, mostly to use to fashion a few things from what he'd hoped to find at the stream. It took a little bit of walking time, but they reached the stream Jarod had mentioned and he wasted no time stripping off his pack and waded out into the water to start looking through the stones at the bottom. He picked up one and looked over and then grabbed a second that caught his attention.   
  
"These will work nicely," he said as he moved to the bank and sat down, taking one of the other stones he'd found and started hammering away at the outside edge of one of the water stones. He placed one next to him and motioned for Davit to sit down with him. "Start with the image of a simple knife in your mind," he told him as he handed him one of the rocks that he picked up along the trail. "And then start chipping it away little by little."  
  
Marin did the same, collecting a few river stones of her own. She passed one each to Bran and Koya, along with a stone or two from her pocket as she settled down near Jarod. Having someone close by to show them how to shape the stone was crucial, as they didn't have a lot of time. Carefully, Marin began shaping her own stones, two arrowheads taking shape under her strikes.  
  
Jarod looked over at her progress and was starting to get curious. "Arrowheads?" he asked her. "Your father show you how to make a bow?"  
  
Marin nodded, flushing slightly. "You can also use them as spearheads.... just lash them well to a sturdy limb..." She stood, and scouted along the stream until she found a suitable branch. She came back and sat down, pulling some string from her pack that she began lashing one of the stone points to the end to make a spear.  
  
Jarod nodded understanding and finished the rough outline of his knife and checked Davit's progress before he pulled out a metal rod that had a suddenly flattened edge to one end. He started to use this to make notches along the 'cutting edge' of his knife, honing the edge to start sharpening it. He noticed that Davit was looking on now, as were Bran and Koya, while he finished along one side and started to work on the other.  
  
Marin's eyebrows rose as well. She wasn't sure what the rod was, but it intrigued her. She continued fashioning her spear, and then set it aside as she carefully shaped several more points, that were slightly smaller to be used as arrowheads. She'd collected some suitable thin branches for the arrow shafts but had nothing to make the fletching to balance the arrows.  
  
"Flaking tool," Jarod told them as he worked. "Takes off smaller amounts and allows you to get a sharp edge."   
  
He finished the cutting side and cut a few notches into the other side before he picked up some pieces of wood laying around and peeled a few layers off, then went to grab his pack and pulled out some flat cord to start lashing the wood layers to the grip side. Once he had enough cord on the grip he tied it secure and checked to make sure it wouldn't slip then hefted it in his hand. One down, one to go.  
  
Carefully, Marin lashed her arrowheads to the shafts one by one, taking a larger stone that she fashioned into a knife. With that, she cut the cord and knotted it tightly, holding the points secure. On the other end of each shaft, she used the knife to split the end, fraying it a bit to provide balance. She finished that, and trekked off a little way, searching for wood for the bow. It took a bit, but she finally found one she hoped would work. With that in hand, she went back to the others, where she used the knife to strip the bark, and one of the river stones to burnish the wood before she cut notches in each end for the bowstring.  
  
Jarod helped the others finish their knives and they had started finding short and mid-length hardwood branches and started to clip offshoots from them and sharpen one end of them. While Bran, Davit and Koya were working on the branches, with Bran starting to make a small fire to heat-treat the sharpened ends, Jarod fashioned a second knife, a slightly longer one this time.  
  
Chewing her lip, Marin carefully bent the wood that she'd made the bow from. She slipped one looped end of her bowstring over the notched end. It settled snugly into the groove. Then she did the same with the other end, testing it with a few practice draws on the string. The bow flexed well and didn't break. Setting it down, she took a long and wide strip of bark from one the trees, carefully punching a series of holes in it with her knife. Folding it over, she used her cord to lace it up, fashioning a rough quiver for her half dozen arrows. She attached a length of cord to it, creating a way for her to sling it over her back.  
  
Jarod looked over at her and nodded, then looked over at the other three, who nodded as well now that they were done with their preparations.   
  
"Okay," he said as he got up and collected his things, then settled the back on his back. "Let's hunt."


	19. Chapter 19

"The only way I see it is we try to take on a pack," Jarod said as he looked at his chrono. "We only have roughly five hours now and we've got to field dress these things."  
  
"A pack?" Davit asked him. "Didn't Master Karrde warned us about them when we first started training here?"  
  
"What choice to we have?" Jarod asked him. "We can go around hoping to find a solitary one."  
  
"He's right," Bran mentioned in to Davit and Koya. "We've got a better chance to find one that's a pack member and let him call in his buddies to finish them."  
  
Marin frowned, and chewed on her bottom lip as she looked up at the moon's position in the sky. It was still dark out, but the moon was full, casting an eerie glow over the area. "Jarod's right, but it will take teamwork. Everyone has to pitch in with the skills they have." She shifted her bow where it was slung across her chest, settling it more securely as she tested the edge of the knife she'd made.  
  
"How accurate are you going to be able to get with those?" Jarod asked her as he looked at the arrows.  
  
Marin shrugged. "I haven't had as much practice as I'd like with buir's bow, but I think I can get pretty accurate.." she said after a moment, thinking of how she'd directed her knife, and deflected the darts during Ethan's trial.  
  
Jarod nodded softly at her assessment and thought about it. "Okay, we need to see about getting the one first. First thing we need to do is find a trail and be ready. May take us time, but we have GOT to find it. When we do, we'll see what we can do to get one's attention. Marin, it might be a good idea to up on a limb or something. The four of us can use the spears and the shorter sticks on the ground."  
  
Marin grinned at him and nodded, noticing the slightly confused looks from the other boys. She'd have to tell them about it later. She looked down the trail. "There's a clearing ahead...." she said quietly, pointing. She was already selecting her tree as they drew closer. There was enough space for all of them to move about in the open area. She looked to Jarod once more and moved off towards her chosen tree.  
  
Jarod saw the slight signs of an animal trail and knelt down next to it, using the Force to get a 'feel' of what animals may have been using it. It was an amazing combination that walked along here...but he got the general impressions that wolfhounds had been pretty regular users of this trail lately. He gestured for Koya and Davit to wait on that side of the clearing, several meters away from the trail while he and Bran started to follow the trail on opposite sides  
  
For a moment, Marin watched how he took charge. He was a natural leader, but he was the kind of person that didn't let it go to his head. He was encouraging and supportive when needed. With one more look towards the boys, Marin found her tree. She stopped a few feet shy, tightening the straps on her pack, and making sure everything was secure. She took a few deep breaths, and leaped, barely a rustle in the leaves. A few seconds later, she swung up on the limb ans set her pack down against the trunk, readying her bow.  
  
Jarod and Bran found positions and crouched down next to trees to keep out of sight. He sighed as he started to stretch out his senses to see if there was one close by. The others started to follow suit and soon Koya let them all know that he felt the presence of one at the edge of his senses. Jarod looked in Koya's direction and saw him nod and point slowly in the general direct he figured it was in.  
  
Marin too was reaching out in the Force. There again was that same sense she'd felt a few days ago. That... not human feeling. It felt ...._raw_. She could feel her pulse begin to quicken at the memory, but she took some slow quiet breaths to calm it as she readied an arrow, kneeling carefully along the limb as she lifted the bow to her cheek, drawing the string back as she waited. it was then that she spotted the slight movement of the underbrush further down the trail... and there it was.... the sleek charcoal gray fur rippled in the dappled moonlight that filtered down through the canopy, and she caught the faint glint of sharp teeth.  
  
Jarod caught her senses and adjusted his position slightly to see the movement in the brush. _'Be ready,' _he sent to the others. _'Here it comes. Marin, are you set?'_  
  
_'Lek...._' was her short reply as she kept her focus on the wolfhound, marking each of the boy's in her mind. The sun was just beginning to lighten the sky, flushing it a deep rose color. It hadn't peeked over the horizon yet, but it did give a bit more light. Which made her job a little easier. She focused in on the wolfhound, dropping the tip of her arrow slightly as she led a little bit.  
  
_'Okay,'_ Jarod told them. _'Davit, I know you've enjoyed time outdoors, occasionally calling some of the animals to you. I want you to make a few of the calls you use to get the wolfhound's attention and make him pause. Marin, aim for just behind his shoulders and wait for him to present you with a broadside if you can. We want him wounded just long enough to let out a call for the others. Everyone got it?'_  
  
_'Got it,'_ he heard from Davit, preparing himself.   
  
_'On Marin's signal, Davit, make the call.'_  
  
_'Got it...'_ Marin sent as she drew the bowstring taught again, watching the wolfhound closely as she continued to lead slightly. She counted in her head. _In..... out...... 1.....2.....3 'Now!' _she sent, closing her right eye as she sighted along the arrow, centering the arrow on the wolfhound's shoulders.  
  
Davit let out a few low grunts, imitating one of the many kinds of stag that wandered through this area. From his position, Jarod saw the wolfhound pause and raise its head and ears up to get a sense of what was happening.   
  
_'Marin, now!'_  
  
She saw the creature turn slightly, and let fly, guiding the arrow a little as it whizzed towards its target, striking just between the shoulders with a wet thump. The wolfhound yelped in pain, keening as it went down.  
  
"Now!" Jarod said as he got to his feet and started running towards the wounded animal, Bran was keeping pace with him and saw Davit and Koya coming from the other side. The wolfhound was letting out several angry and hurt calls as it writhed on the ground. It was letting out a ferocious growl as Jarod approached and stopped suddenly, spear at the ready. [We are sorry to kill you brother...] he whispered, citing the Cataani tradition as he drove his spear into the neck of the animal. Davit was next and the animal let out a final howl before it dropped to the ground.  
  
Bran and Koya came up and looked over the animal. Their first kill was made. But there was still....  
  
Jarod's senses flared and he turned the line of direction the wolfhound had traveled. Further back, he heard several other howls. "Can anyone count how many?" he asked.  
  
"They're too close together, I can pick them out," Bran said as he crouched down. "But there are several of them....and heading this way. They must've been close."  
  
"And hungry..." Koya added as he had his eyes closed. "I sensed it in this one..and stronger in the others. Oh gods, Jarod, _They_ were on a hunt too."  
  
"Can you see anything?" Jarod called up to Marin.  
  
Marin's stomach twisted at Koya's words. Clutching her bow in her left hand, she moved a little further along the limb, peering down the trail. She saw movement... and then she felt it... the hunger.... It made her blood run cold for a moment. She squinted, reaching out in the Force. '_There's four...'_ she said, even her mental voice tense. _'Leave the other for now... we need to deal with these, or __**we'll**__ be dinner...'_ She gripped her bow, raising it to firing position again as she nocked another arrow. _'Oya!' _she said, using the ancient Mandalorian expression of solidarity... of brotherhood.  
  
"Four..." Jarod whispered to himself. He knew he was taking a chance by going after a pack..this was just about what he was picturing. They'd each have to handle one with Marin for cover...unless Marin took one or two out first. "Spread out," he said to the others, getting a tight grip on his spear. "Bran and Koya, back up just a little from me and Davit and fan out. They'll see the blood on our spears...we're the ones they'll try for first. Try to see if you can flank them. If they charge at once, Davit, be ready to send a Force hammer at one if you can."  
  
Marin nodded to herself. It was a good plan... _if it worked_.... As it was, she had 5 arrows left. She frowned, tracking the pack as it came to the edge of the clearing. The rising sun made their gray fur glisten as if it were gilded in in silver, and their teeth glinted. She could even hear the pack's heavy breathing as it scented the blood on Jarod's and Davit's spears. _'Get ready.... I think they'll charge...' _Marin warned. She reached out in the Force, trying to distract one or two of them from the boys as she let an arrow fly. It zipped through the air, finding it's mark as it buried itself in the neck of the wolfhound at the head of the pack.  
  
Jarod saw the pack leader fall from Marin's arrow. The suddenness of it all got the attention of the other three and he could see a possibility there. "Davit, let's charge them," He said as he started forward at a quick pace. Davit was right behind him.   
  
Bran and Koya hesitated for a moment, but Bran saw an idea and motioned Koya to run with him. The wolfhound that was off by itself hesitated longer than the others and Bran threw his spear and guided it with the Force to let it sink through the chest. It dropped almost instantly as he drew a shorter piece and went to corner the third while Jarod and Davit reached the fourth.  
  
Marin watched from her perch, readying another arrow, just in case. It was risky, but they seemed to be working well together. She only hoped it wouldn't bring even more to the area. She watched the boys for a moment, reaching out in the Force to check the surrounding forest for any more lurkers.  
  
Davit attempted to feint with his spear, but the wolfhound did the unexpected and went forward instead of retreating. Its teeth locked down on the wooden shaft and yanked it out of the youth's hands. It tore it to pieces and hunkered down low, the hair on its back raised and a low growl coming from it. Davit drew one of the knives Jarod had helped him make in his right hand while his left pulled one of the shorter branches they had sharpened and was almost at the ready when the wolf lunged at him.   
  
Jarod knew he wasn't close enough to prevent it, but ran towards the two as the hound knocked Davit back on the ground and tried to get into position to finish him. Davit, full of surprise, resorted to trying to beat the animal's head with his shorter spear in his hand.   
  
Koya and Bran were distracted by it long enough that the wolfhound they had cornered took the advantage and started to charge towards them.   
  
Marin watched, her stomach knotting in dread as the wolfhound Davit had cornered suddenly lunged towards him. It was too close for her to get a clear shot, and with Jarod sprinting towards Davit, she didn't want to risk it. Instead, she turned her attention Bran and Koya. What she saw made her swear profusely, and she fumbled her arrow slightly before she nocked it securely and drew back the bowstring, sighting along the shaft. It was hard to get a clean shot with how fast the animal was moving. She counted in her head again and breathed in once, and then out, holding it as she released. The arrow whizzed down towards the wolfhound.... and _missed_..... burying itself in the tree behind it.  
  
The whisper of the arrow passing by caught the attention of the charging hound for just a moment with the turn of its head and a slight change in the rhythm of its charge. Koya saw it and knew it was enough to sidestep, which he did with enough room and tried to drive his spear home into its side. It connected and penetrated, which brought a howl of pain from the wolfhound, but the shaft broke from the force of the animal's momentum. And it kept running.   
  
Bran had jumped out of the way and wasn't within range to jab with his shorter weapon, but threw it again as he did his spear and trusted in the Force as he attempted to guide it as he had done before. He saw it piece the hind-quarter, but the animal either didn't know it or didn't care as he continued on for a bit before turning and started to pace side to side with Koya's broken spear still in it's flank.   
  
Jarod reached the wolfhound that had Davit pinned and lunged forward, leading with his spear. He aimed carefully to where he felt there was a gap between ribs and felt his spear sink in up to where his hands kept a firm grip on the wooden branch. The stone tip pierced through the other side and broke under the weight of the animal and Jarod combined falling towards that side because of the energy Jarod had put into his lunge. The impact phased Jarod for just a moment, but he recovered quickly and pulled his knife out and drove it deep into the animal's neck several times. The wolfhound was weakened now, unable to move from the shock it was in now due to its injuries.   
  
Bran and Koya had spread out on both sides of the wolfhound to give it a harder time of taking them both. They only had a stone knife each now, as Koya had not carried a shorter sharpened branch with him.   
  
Jarod, in the meantime, got up from the wolfhound's body and crouched over next to Davit, the youth's left arm was mauled from where he had been defending himself from the wolf's attack.   
  
"I'm okay," Davit told him, keeping the pressure where he needed to on his upper arm with his belt. "Get that last one, Jarod, so we can get out of here."  
  
"Marin!" Jarod yelled as he got up and looked to the situation that Bran and Koya were in. "How many do you have left?"  
  
Marin checked her quiver, just to make sure her mental count had been correct. She had three left. She chewed her lip for a moment, taking stock of the situation. Davit was injured. From the looks of it, he'd need to see a healer.... She shook herself. "I have three left." She drew one of her remaining arrows, and readied it, wrapping her knees around the limb as she laid prone along it, much as she had when learning to use a rifle.   
  
She hoped it would give her a better shot since the angle wasn't as steep. Frowning, she wet her finger and held it to the breeze, testing the direction. There was a slight crosswind, but she hoped it wasn't enough to throw her shot. Carefully, she nocked the arrow, and lifted the bow, pulling the bowstring taught to her cheek as she lowered her other hand slightly, dropping her aim slightly.   
  
Bran and Koya were close to the wolfhound that was stalking them, but she figured she could still take the shot. She couldn't go for a headshot because of where Bran was. "Watch your heads..." she called, trying to distract the hound as she sighted again before she released. Again the arrow passed almost silently through the air... and she watched as it sank halfway into the animal's side.   
  
Bran saw the impact and the wolfhound almost reared up from the pain it was in now. He took a close look and saw that the arrow hit just like it had with the first hound they took....but it wasn't as deep. It may have injured the lung, but the heart was not touched.   
  
The wolfhound was starting to surge ahead and snap as he went, the pain driving it on now. Jarod saw this and knew how it would react, having seen animals he had helped hunt on his home so many years ago.... He walked up slowly, crouched low. He couldn’t' stay out of the wolf's vision as the animal was turning around completely to keep the three of them in side. Now, they truly had it cornered in the center of the triangle they made. "Get your last two shots in," Jarod called to Marin. "He's not going to go down easy."  
  
_'Lek...' _Was Marin's terse mental reply as she adjusted her position, checking the wind direction again as she pulled another arrow from the quiver slung across her back. "Keep your heads down, _gedet'ye_..." she called quietly as she nocked her arrow and sighted down the shaft again, counting. _1.... 2..... in..... out._ She held her breath, and shifted her aim slightly to the left, aiming for the neck. Then she released, keeping a close eye on the arrow, and guiding it... A few moments later, she grinned as the arrow buried itself in the side of the wolfhound's neck. The animal fell to the leaf-strewn ground... but it was still alive. She'd missed the jugular.  
  
"Now! Before it gets back up," Bran said as he and Jarod ran forward at almost the same time, Koya just a moment behind them. It wasn't long before they finished this last wolfhound and now, all three were slumped and sitting on the ground, trying to catch their breath...not a one of them knew how much might have passed..could have been minutes, could have been hours.   
  
"Well," Bran said as he laid back and looked up at the morning sky, still recovering the adrenaline high. "The hard part's over...."  
  
Marin watched from her perch until the last wolfhound stopped moving. When it had lain still for several minutes, she gathered her bow, and retrieved her pack, dropping to the ground. Then she went over to where the boys were. "I don't know how much time we have.... but we need to field dress these things and get back to the praxeum." The sun had climbed above the tops of the trees a while ago.  
  
Jarod nodded slowly, as did the others, as they started to get up. _Now came the messy part....._

* * *

Jarius checked his chrono as the time was approaching. He had a sense from Marin that all was well, but didn't know just _how_ well.

Steffan had that same feeling and leaned against the table at the head of the main hall, looking at Jarius then over at Xan, Callista and Andrea. 

"Andrea, _Cal'ika_...no worrying over their injuries till we are all done here," Xan said. "I want them as off-balance as possible, and compassion right now would not be helpful." His face was a complete mask, his emotions completely buried at the moment.

Callista's face bore a faint frown, for she could feel that the young ones were exhausted, and at least one was injured. She traded a look with Xan, hoping all had gone well. She sighed. "Alright..... but you know me, _Xan'ika_...." she hefted her helmet.

At about the same time, Marin felt Jarius' attention turn to her briefly. They were close now, though a little burdened with the 5 kills. They'd had to stop a few times and rest, but finally, they came around the bend in the trail, spotting the open gate.

"They're here," Steffan said to them as he looked up from where he was leaning and saw the first sign of them walking up the path towards the doors to the praxeum. "Well, well, well....." was all he said when he started to notice how many they carried with them.

Jarius saw it and almost wanted to smile. "I think they exceeded your mark, Xan."

Callista peeked over Steffan's shoulder and grinned for a moment before her face stilled and her emotions were under control. Privately, she'd been rooting for them, and hoping they'd succeed. They had.... _and then some._

Xan didn't betray anything as of yet as he noticed the hunters approaching. "Leave your kills there for a moment and stand forth."

Steffan walked back into the hall ahead of the others and resumed his leaning against the head table. Jarius stood by one of the posts in the hall and Andrea stood next to her father.

Marin exchanged a look with Jarod and the others before she set down her burden carefully, the others doing likewise before they stepped into the hall. All of them looked exhausted, and Callista noticed one of them with his arm crudely bandaged.

Xan looked dispassionately at the students one by one before speaking. "I see you have brought back one more kill then specified. Care to explain why?"

Jarod looked to the others before he turned and bowed his head for a moment to Xan. "It was my decision to hunt a pack instead of looking for lone wolfhounds, sir. We laid in wait for one, letting it call in the rest once we had first wounded it. The other four were close by...they were on the hunt as well.

"I see. And there were no females and cubs in the area?" Xan asked, his voice still coldly logical.

"None, sir," Jarod answer. "Only these five males. We didn't know until we had already killed the first that they were driven by great hunger. It was a hunting party. No others showed up."

Xan nodded. "Why didn't you skin the carcasses rather than bring their bodies? It would've been more efficient."

"It is not the Cataani way," Bran answered as he stepped forward. "Tradition demands that if an animal be killed, it be for food. Just taking the pelt would have offended the people here."

Marin nodded in agreement. She'd learned as much during her time here.

Steffan nodded at this and smiled, glad they honored and respected the ways of their hosts. 

Xan nodded again. "And Davit, your arm. Explain how that occurred, if you will."

"The wolfhound that Jarod and I cornered surprised me. Instead of backing from my feint, it grabbed and broke my spear then lunged at me before I had pulled my extra weapon."

"So it was bravery rather than miscommunication that caused the injury," Xan stated. "So you worked together as a unit, rather than a bunch of individuals?"

Marin nodded and shared a look with Jarod. "_Elek_, we did... and Jarod helped keep us focused."

"I had Marin take a position in the trees to be our eyes for their approach and to take any shot she could with her bow," Jarod said. Jarius noticed that she still carried it with her as they walked in. "The rest of us coordinated as the other four came in."

Xan nodded and then walked towards the bodies of the wolfhounds. He took a look at the bodies for a minute or two and then said, for first time breaking a smile. "Then you have all passed this test. And passed it remarkably."

There was a collective sigh of relief then, and Marin grinned, pulling her bow off her shoulder to lean on it a moment.

Now Andrea couldn't help but break into a smile as she looked at the youth. She could really tell that any barrier that was between them now was torn down. Jarius nodded approval at Marin and gave Jarod a nod as well. He saw the look the two exchanged at the news as well... and knew what that look was himself.

Callista smiled again, exchanging a look with Jarius. She could tell he was proud of Marin, and all of them. She wanted to go have a look at Davit's arm, but something told her Xan still had some plan stuffed up his gauntlet.

Xan knelt down beside the bodies now. "It's good you honor Cataani tradition in this hunt here, but one other tradition needs to be honored here as well. since you have all taken part in a Mandalorian style first hunt. And for that, a proper ritual needs to be followed here." He looked to where Steffan was. "That is if you don't mind."

Steffan nodded in agreement. "To honor one without the other would be meaningless and insulting."

Xan grinned. "For this, we should take the bodies outside." And with that, he used the Force to lift the carcasses off the ground. "This will be a little too messy indoors." As the young hunters trailed Xan outside, followed by the rest of the adults, he quickly set to work and skinned the wolfhound carcasses.

For sometimes such delicate work, it was rather fast given the lascutter tool Xan had within one of his gaunts. And in a rather short period, all 5 skins were complete. "It's part of my culture that whenever one undertakes a successful hunt that changes their life, they take a trophy reminding them of that success. You 5 here today now share that honor as well." He grabbed a skin and walked over to Bran and threw the skin over the shoulder of the young boy. "This day you are warriors." He then proceeded to do the same with the other four. Giving a wink to Marin and a slight bump to the shoulder of Jarod when they received their skins.

Marin grinned at him a little shyly when she got her skin, her gaze sliding to Jarius for a moment.

Xan looked at Steffan. "I suppose we better get the kitchen staff to prep these for food, _me'ven_? Just make sure they leave the hearts alone."

"Agreed, and in the meantime," Steffan added to that. "A special dinner in honor of your hunt will be prepared tonight. The wolfhound is a special animal and great care is taken in preparing it. In the meantime, I believe you four have earned rest. Andrea? Callista?" He looked to his daughter and adopted daughter for them to see to it before he looked to Jarod. "When you are rested and refreshed, a horse will be waiting for you to take to the house. I will want to see you in my study before dinner."

"Yes, master," Jarod said with a deep bow, wondering what was to happen now.

Marin frowned slightly at that but shrugged and headed over to Jarius. She spotted Callista heading over to see to Davit, staring to guide the young man gently out of the hall and towards the med bay.

Jarius walked over to Marin and knelt down in front of her. "Marin, you did a great job...and enjoy it, you truly earned this." 

"Bran, Koya...next time you want some challenges. Come find me...We'll take one on together. Us and Davit of course," Xan said, grinning at the former trouble makers.

Bran grinned with new respect, tempered with some humility this time. "Yes, teacher..."

Koya bowed along with him. "We definitely have a lot more to learn."

Xan smirked. "So do I lads....that's part of the fun. And it's Xan, none of this Master or teacher business, _vor'e_."

Marin grinned a little at the boys as she caught Xan's words before she answered Jarius. She buried her face in his tunic for a moment, surrounding herself with the scent of it. "We did.... and I think I have some new friends..." she told him with a smile.

Jarius and Steffan both laughed lightly at the comment from the students, reflecting their previous conversation together. 

Marin giggled a little at Xan's announcement, and eyed Jarius for a moment, knowing he preferred her to be polite.

Jarius looked at her and smiled warmly. "I'd say you've had more than just friends here," he told her. "I'd say you've found brothers-in-arms now."

"_Elek_..." she said softly, her gaze following Davit for a moment. She'd been the one who'd bandaged him. She realized then that she still had the bow clutched in her left hand. She brought it around and held it out to him, along with the single remaining arrow.

He took them in his hand, looking over the work that went into it and nodded softly, then held it out for Steffan's inspection. "Length and thickness look familiar?"

Steffan took the bow in his hand and hefted it and started to look over it. "Almost like an old war bow....." 

Marin shuffled her feet a bit nervously at that, her cheeks flushing slightly.

Xan looked closely at Marin. "_Kandosii_...When I did this for my _verd'goten_. I only made flint knives. I never thought about a bow as such."

Jarius looked over the arrow, making note of its length...and knowing where she knew it from. "You remembered my war bow," he whispered silently. 

Marin's cheeks flamed. "I just thought that maybe a longer range weapon would be better....." She barely caught Jarius' whispered words, and she grinned at him and nodded.

Xan looked at Jarius and grinned. "I'd say the _dalyc'ad_ takes after her _buir_."

At that moment, Callista re-entered the hall. She'd seen Davit to the med bay to get his arm taken care of. Her brown hair was loose of the close-fitting hood now and flowed down her back, over the deep purple armor that covered her from neck to toe. She held her _buy'ce_ in the crook of her arm as she approached the small group that remained. She hugged Andrea, and nodded to Steffan before leaning up on her toes to kiss Xan and lean against him for a moment. Then she saw Marin and Jarius. She clipped her helmet to her belt and went to one knee.

"Nothing serious I hope?" Xan asked.

Callista smiled. "_Nayc_... He'll live. The bones didn't snap, but it tore the muscles pretty bad. He's in a bacta bath right now, and I'll do a session with him afterwards...." With a look to Jarius, she beckoned Marin over. "Come here, Marin...." her voice was gentle, and she smiled gently as Marin left her bow in Jarius' grip. Marin crossed to Callista, and Callista found herself faintly surprised when Marin gripped her arm in the traditional greeting.

For a moment, Callista looked her over. It was obvious that she was tired, but she was trying not to show it.... and she was pretty excited about having passed Xan's test.... and rightfully so. Callista squeezed Marin's shoulder gently and spoke softly. "Why don't you get some rest, young one..... you could use it." She winked. "If you want, later, I can show you a few simple healing techniques...." she added with a knowing smile towards Steffan. Marin grinned and nodded, turning to hug Jarius again before she gently took her bow from him, and bowed to the adults before leaving.

* * *

It ate him more than he thought it would have when he first heard the rumors from that Dug in Mos Espa..and hearing confirmation from Xan with his own ears. _'The Death Watch'_, he thought to himself as he sat in one of the pubs that were in Edmonton. He'd chosen a table in the back of the tavern with a single mug of ale on the table in front of him.

He didn’t know how to handle himself with this turn of events…that had been made known in the main hall of Steffan’s praxeum. Jarius could not find calm as Steffan wanted him to. He had tried already, alone with his thoughts in a clearing of one of the forests nearby and attempting to use several of the techniques the Jedi had taught him but to no avail. But he couldn’t find peace there…and solitude at the pub with his ale wasn’t proving any more help.

It was a long day, not just dealing with the outcome of the hunt that he sent the children on but the _Par'jila_ needed some major repair work done. Xan was kicking himself leaving the repair work that long. It was amazing the engines didn't fall apart after leaving hyperspace during the arrival to Cataan.

So eight hours later, while Callista was busy looking over the medbay, as she usually did, Xan decided to head down to the local pub in Edmonton. Cataan was unlike any other place that Xan usually frequented for tapcafs. It was clean for one. The other thing was people were generally respectful. _'This is more like a library then a tapcaf,'_ he thought to himself as he sat down at the bar, after ordering his usual _netra'gal_.

However, it wasn't long after that started looking around the bar itself and came upon a familiar sight. It was Jarius, sitting by himself...that was normal. What wasn't was the fact he was glowering at his own ale glass as though it owed him creds. Xan did notice that his attitude did change since the revelation of the latest Death Watch antics.

Xan grabbed his ale and tossed the barkeep a cred chip, which the barkeep juggled in surprise as the red armored Mando made his way to Jarius' table. It was somewhat puzzling that Jarius didn't even notice his approach but Xan put it out of his mind for a minute. "I know it's not great _netra'gal_, but at least these _aruetiise_ are trying,_ ner'vod_. Glowering like that won't make the ale taste better."

"The taste isn't what is on my mind," Jarius told him as he looked up and gestured to the opposing chair. "Your ability with the Force is better than mine...you know my thoughts."

Xan sighed and sat down. "_Elek_, that I do. And for the most part, I agree with you, _Jar'ika_. But there is a difference between _Mando'ad_ vengeance and vengeance born of the Dark Side..." He raised an eyebrow at the other man. "This does you no good, _ner'vod._"

"I knew the latter before I knew the _Mando_ path, Xan," Jarius said as he looked up at him...the pain in his eyes there. "Ever since Ethan and Steffan found me and stopped me on that path for vengeance, it is so hard to keep at bay sometimes. I look at _Mar'ika_ and I see what my daughter could have been. Hard as I have tried, _ner'vod_, that pain has never left. Be glad you do not know it and I pray you never do."

Xan growled. "You have a _dalyc'ad_ (daughter) now..." and he let that sink in. "Marin is more worried about getting your praise, your attention, your love then she's worried bout becoming _Jetii._ Your daughter's loss is tragic, no doubt, but would she want you to sit in this darkness and affect others. Ones that are _aliit_?" Xan raised his voice a bit more. "And another thing, don't be so sure you have cornered the market on pain in that manner. _Ori'buy'ce, kih'kovid _(all helmet, no head). You know nothing about me, nor know all about everyone else that is trying to break through this ferrocrete wall you surround yourself in."

Jarius sighed at this and nodded, finishing the last of his ale. "You are correct, Xan. You just have to pardon an old fool's brooding for a moment." He called in Cataani to the barkeep, motioning to him and Xan before he addressed his friend again. "I do need to remember that I _do _have Marin now. That changes everything." He leaned back against the wall of the bar as the drinks arrived. "How do you think she fared with the _jetiise_?"

Xan nodded. "Lucky for you I'm as much of a fool as you are, _ner'vod_." he said before smirking. "You would do well to keep that in mind, _Jar'ika_. _Dar'yaim_, with her performance today, I doubt that she'll have any more problems here. In fact, I can say she's gained even more attention, but this would put her near the top of the class. Steffan was impressed, which says a lot."

"Granted, she picks up any instruction that I've given her at a fast pace," Jarius confided to him. "I have no doubt Steffan's and his daughter's lessons have been taken with the same energy and want for learning." He started laughing for a moment. "And drive Ethan near mad with her performance in evading him as well as she did..then finally countering his tactics."

Xan laughed. "I've heard. Ethan is still grumbling but is no longer angry. The _mir'sheb _(smart ass) can grumble all he wants." He chuckled. "But Marin's skills today were more based on what you have done then what Steffan and Andrea have done. She's said as much. She's more worried about your approval, _vod_. Her place may not be here long, but that won't mean that she'll not use her skills."

Jarius nodded at that again as he took another drink. "I realize I probably don't show her well enough how proud I already am of her....of everything she's been able to accomplish in a short time. And you may be right, but I don't know where her place with be...what path she'll take. I believe that, in Andrea, she'll have a great teacher...she spends a lot of time teaching her."

Xan nodded. "She's forging bonds here that will do her well in whatever way her life's path takes. Andrea is definitely a great influence. But you should look at her friendships she’s formed, including those 3 boys that were one time enemies. " he paused, "If she was older, I'd be giving Jarod a bit of a fright..." he chuckled. "I'd watch their relationship closely as well, _ner'vod_. She's gaining a lot from him as well."

Jarius chuckled. "I've seen the look they have shared in the main hall. They may not know how they feel yet, but _I_ know it. Jarod seems to be a young man of honor....but that won't stop me from watching him. She's too young for anything like that to happen right now." He shook his head. "_Shab_, listen to me now." He finished his ale and ordered another round for them. 


	20. Chapter 20

“You wished to see me, Master Karrde,” Steffan heard from the doorway to his study. He looked up from his book and saw Jarod standing there, just outside in the living room. Steffan closed his book and motioned for him to enter and take a seat. As the young man did so, Steffan placed the book back in its place and pulled another off another spot on the bookcase before handing it to Jarod as he sat in the chair opposite from the youth.

“From what I gathered from the others,” he started to say, “I could see that you showed the ability of a natural leader in the situation. You weren’t the oldest of them, but you naturally took the role and did well to coordinate the others. Jarod, you have done extremely well since you were brought here, absorbing my teachings like none of the other students here; except maybe Marin. What has impressed upon me the most is that you don’t show any pride in your accomplishments…at all.”

“Yes, master,” Jarod said to him quietly. “Sir, my father taught me when I was little that one should always be humble at one’s self and capabilities. It was something I’d always seen him live by and we were always well, despite events that occurred around us. I don’t feel any pride in learning here, only gratitude for taking me as a student. Seeing what some of the other students had been able to accomplish when I first arrived, I first doubted it I could reach that standard.”

“And yet, in several occasions, you’ve exceeded them when they were at your stage of training,” Steffan told him. “And you’ve grown in many ways since you were brought here a year ago. You’ve grown in the Force, in your maturity, your skill with the sword…in many things. And that brings me to the reason that I asked you to come here when you were refreshed and rested. If you will follow me, and bring the book with you.”

They walked into the living room and Jarod followed Steffan over to the fireplace but stopped when Steffan turned around to face him. “Jarod, where I am about to take you is not to be mentioned to the students under any circumstances,” he told the youth. “This place is known only by the members of this family and only those that we trust like family.”

“I understand, master,” Jarod answered with a nod. “And I am greatly honored that I have earned such trust from you.”

Steffan nodded softly and placed his hand upon one of the stones that made up the large mantle of the living room fireplace. A moment later, a section of the wood paneling, just large enough to be like a small doorway, opened in front of Steffan and he proceeded to walk through.

Jarod followed him through and noticed that they were now starting to go down a stone stairway, curving slightly as they went deeper down. Within a few moments, he entered a cavern that he could only guess to be just under the Karrde’s house and grounds. He noted the patterns cut and stained into the smooth rock of the floor and instantly recognized the Master’s Wheel training circle that was in the courtyard of the praxeum. He continued to follow Master Karrde to a side area and looked to see several workbenches aligned along the wall with several tools and blank materials…and his eyes widened slightly. _The materials were for…_

“You’ve reached the time and point in your training that requires you to complete a difficult task,” Steffan told him as he motioned for him to approach and look over the materials and tools. “These are a few of the materials and tools that can be used for you to start fashioning your first lightsaber.”

“Am I ready for that?” Jarod instantly asked as he turned around and knelt, concern in his voice. “Do you really feel that I’ve earned the chance to face this trial?”

Steffan looked at him, but Jarod felt compelled to explain. “I do not ask in doubt, master…not in doubting your judgment of myself. But I know that others have been here training for longer than I have. They have not been called upon for the trial of building their lightsabers. I do not want the temptation that fell on Bran, Davit and Koya to fall on any others that feel they are cheated by my doing this.”

Steffan nodded and started measuring Jarod in a new light. He was being extremely humble in his abilities.

“You have earned the right,” he assured the boy. “As have they…they have already begun their trial, just as you soon will. Your concern for them is touching, Jarod. You show humility and concern for your peers like few that I have known in my time. In so many ways, you are exceeding my expectations as a student of this praxeum.”

Jarod got back up slowly and nodded as his teacher’s words. “Sir, I am extremely grateful for the trust and honor you have given me by this trial.”

“The book you hold contains notes on techniques and mindsets for the construction process,” Steffan told him. “Many masters, the old Order as well as the new one, have written many things that have been handed down to that book. Study it in depth for as long as you feel necessary. When you feel that you are ready, you will begin.”

  
“Yes, Master.”

* * *

For Marin, it seemed like time flew by as she continued her studies at the praxeum. Making new friends with Bran, Davit, and Koya was just the beginning. Jarod had not joked when he told her that there were many of the students that considered one of their own. Gradually, they began to show it in different ways…giving her ideas on what helped them in certain tasks, sharing correspondence that they received from their homes, telling stories from the areas that they had come from. Marin did her best to respond in kind, showing them different things that she learned from Jarius which interested them, teaching them what she knew of _Mando'a_ lamguage.

True to her word to Marin, Callista spent time with her before leaving with Xan for more assignments they were given and began to teach her the basics of Jedi healing techniques. As with all things, Marin was a quick learner and was able to grasp the concepts of not just how to place herself in a healing trance, but another Jedi as well. _'Would have been nice to know this during Ethan’s trial'_, she had thought to herself after Callista had left.

Gradually, Jarius started to show her more techniques with the knife while Andrea continued to show her the techniques and moves that were associated with the Fourth Form, especially emphasizing and encouraging adaptations that helped Marin with her saber technique. Within a short time, Marin was handling the bokken with grace and was incorporating different kinds of acrobatics and spins of the weapon into her strikes and blocks. Soon, she was starting to get used to the use of a training lightsaber as she practiced katas on her own, with the other students, and sparring with the others.

She left with Jarius at different times for a short period. Her first was to return to their home in the Tanagis system…where he proceeded to teach her and assisted in making her first _beskar’gam_, the armor that a Mandalorian would wear. Being her first armor and the fact that she was still growing, she only built the upper body armor along with the thigh and shin pieces. Giving her the choice of her colors, she picked black with orange trim…representing justice and a thirst for life, which she most definitely had.

With her new armor, and with further training on how to use a blaster from Jarius, he started to bring her with him on some of the less complex missions that he took on. Along the way, she started to learn more about the different systems on his ship…not just how they worked, but also _why_ they worked…as well as learning how to fly the ship, going over all of the basic controls and maneuvers.

In the galaxy, events had transpired that awed her in a way she never would have thought possible. A short while after their trial, two visitors arrived that she had never met before…but two that she knew about from the other students and Master Karrde very well….the rouge Jedi Myk-Ron Dinn and his wife, General Arie Dinn of the New Republic Armed Forces. The power that Marin felt coming from the rouge was immense to her, rivaling the energy she felt flowing from Master Karrde.

Word had reached the students of the challenge by the Sith not long after by the kidnapping of Jedi and students from not only the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, but at the Jedi Academy on Chandrilla as well. Inside, Marin hoped that the one student that had left the praxeum was alright. All of the students at the praxeum was surprised that none of the Sith had come for them there on Cataan, but Steffan assured them that all was well where they were. Several of the older students had requested permission to join with the others at Ithor, but the master forbade it. With Steffan, Dilan and Ryneas at Ithor, later going into battle at Msst, Andrea assumed the role of headmistress for a short time at the praxeum, reinforcing techniques that had already been taught to them. Marin had wondered why she wasn’t at the battle, but a private meeting that Andrea asked her to reveal the answer to that for her.

Andrea was pregnant with her first child. Marin was happy and elated for her and realized that, later on, Andrea would not be able to continue her teaching the Fourth Form for some time. Andrea reassured her that Master Karrde would continue her lessons until Andrea was ready to pick them back up again.

Dilan and Ryneas had arrived by themselves sometime later. The story they told the students about what happened during the space battle above Msst and later on the planet surface. Just the images they conceived was overwhelming…hundreds of Jedi, Rouges, and even the Jenassari against hundreds of Sith warriors in one of the most massive battles ever in the history of the Order.

Master Karrde had returned a few days after his sons did. Marin and the others could tell that there was a profound change in him. His lessons to the students in philosophy and morals were more in-depth than before. Lessons with the sword took were now on a level that surprised everyone…but it was a surprise for the better as it seemed like the techniques of every student improved.

As time went on, Steffan went into more in-depth lessons with Marin, showing her techniques in Force Concealment and other powers that would help her in keeping herself unseen. Steffan also took her aside with some other students that expressed the desire for further instructions in the warrior’s path and began to teach them additional weapon techniques and how to use their ability in the Force to enhance them. In a short while, Marin was not only learning the sword and her knives but introduced to throwing her knives with accuracy by using the Force…eventually using other weapons such as the Cataani shuriken, and staff weapons.

Eventually, all of the students picked up on these advanced techniques, even those who were taking up healing arts…they had expressed a wish to learn at least some of the more advanced techniques. Word was slowly spreading through the Jedi community that the students that had achieved Knighthood through his praxeum were some of the more formidable opponents others had sparred with.

Before Marin even realized it…a year had passed since she entered through the doors of the praxeum for the first time with Jarius. Jarod was entering his final trials to become a Jedi Knight, his friendship with Marin strengthening by leaps and bounds since coming to her defense that day. His sudden trip to Illum had surprised her and she wondered what had happened until one of the other students explained to her that it was one of the few places in the galaxy where the focusing crystal for a lightsaber could be found. She waited in eager anticipation to see how he had done till he appeared in the courtyard for exercises several months after Xan’s trial with a lightsaber in his hand that did not resemble the others and activated a brilliant silver blade from it. In a way, it made her wonder when it would be her turn to undergo the trial.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Briikase gote'tuur - Happy Birthday  
kandosii'la.... mesh'la - Awesome... beautiful

It had been several weeks since the festival and the day's training ended like any other. Marin spent a good deal of her time with Andrea today, learning not just more about her style of lightsaber combat, but focused more on more general aspects of the Force. She was able to to move objects with finer control now and was able to stretch out her senses further to be able to tell the mood of any living thing in the area now. Andrea was taking the time to round out her abilities instead of focusing on any one thing. Everyone was beginning to enter the hall for the evening meal when they noticed that there were some decorations along the hall..._it was someone's birthday, but whose?_

The answer to that came after everyone was seated and Master Karrde stood up and walked down to join everyone at the middle of the tables. 

"I've always attempted to make sure that everyone's life is celebrated when the anniversary of their coming into this galaxy arrives," he told them quietly. "Our person of honor tonight hasn't really ever given us a time to celebrate hers. Well, after careful research through Corellia's database and some further slicing to verify things....."

He looked over at Marin where she was sitting at with Jarod. "To our Mandalorian student, join me in wishing her a very happy birthday." 

Most of the students took to applauding loudly, several more whistling with it and much cheering started to fill the hall now. Steffan looked around at the merriment and turned to look towards Marin once again and could tell she was starting to blush.

Marin ducked her head, her cheeks flaming. But she was grinning. _'How had Master Karrde known? How had he even gained access?' _She cast a sideways look to Jarius across the table and noticed him grinning at her. She clutched to Jarod's hand, suddenly a bit nervous.

Steffan sensed how she was feeling right now and knew better than to motion for her to stand. It wouldn't be a good idea, given how she was blushing. Several of the students had mentioned congratulations to her as Steffan quieted the rest down. "As per the custom here," he told them. "If the students...and the person of honor...wish, the curfew for lights out can be amended for the evening. But not too late, as studies will begin the same as normal."

There was a chorus of cheers, followed almost immediately by good-natured groans. Marin smiled and nodded to Master Karrde. What she would do for her birthday, she had no idea. But she was glad that he'd gone to the effort to find out. She hadn't even known when her birthday was. She caught Jarius winking at her from across the table.

Jarod leaned over and whispered to her. "Curious as to how he found out?"

Marin grinned. "I am actually... I never really knew my last name, or when I was born... even while at the orphanage..." She squeezed his hand and reached across the table to slip her fingers into Jarius'.

"Well, your father told Master Karrde what part of Coronet City he figured you were in," Jarod told her. "Lady Andrea is pretty good at slicing and, with the help of a fellow Jedi Master that's good at it, they were able to find your records on the Corellian mainframe."

Marin grinned a little and raised an eyebrow at Jarod, eyeing Jarius for a moment with a knowing look. "You wanted to surprise me..." she told him, squeezing his hand for a moment. At that moment, she spotted a bit of commotion at the entrance to the kitchens. One of the kitchen staff came out........ and he was carrying a cake of some sort. It looked like _Uj_ cake...... just the sight of it made her mouth water. She giggled a little as she spied the candles placed carefully on the top.

"And that.....was your father's idea," Jarod said as he looked at it. 

Marin just laughed, her eyes dancing. "_Uj_ cake is made with nuts, dried fruit, and a syrup. It's very sweet..."

Jarod just grinned at the mention of that. "That'll probably keep some of the students awake."

Marin giggled at that and smiled up at the kitchen worker who placed the cake he was carrying in front of her. He winked at her and hugged her gently, slipped a small package into her hands before he went back to the kitchen.

As he moved away, Marin looked down at the small wrapped box in her lap. It was rare for her to get gifts. She fingered the smooth ribbon for a moment, before gently pulling on one end to loosen the simple bow. Inside was a box about the size of her lap. She lifted the lid gently, and peeled back the tissue inside. What she found made her gasp, and utter a mild curse under her breath. Nestled in the tissue lay two intricately worked leather sheaths for her knives, a new weapons belt, and a new holster and hardware for.... a blaster. She looked around, but he had gone. Her gaze connected with Jarius'.

"_Briikase gote'tuur, Mar'ika_," Jarius said to her as he walked up behind her and gave her a hug.

Marin wrapped her arms around his middle, carefully setting the box on the table. She noticed that the straps for the blaster holster that held the base of it to her thigh were adjustable, and the belt could easily be exchanged for a longer one as she grew. "_Vor'e..._" she said softly, again wishing the other had stayed around so she could thank him. She wondered if he'd done the work himself, for she knew some Cataani were very skilled in that area.

"We'll fill that holster later," Jarius whispered to her with a smile as Andrea came up to hug her now. 

"Here's something from us," She told Marin as she handed her a slightly smaller package.

Marin smiled up at him, clutching his fingers for a moment before she let go, carefully accepting the package from Andrea as she was engulfed in a hug. It was hard to believe that she'd been training with Andrea for close to a year now. She felt like she'd learned so much... and like Andrea was the older sister she'd never had.

The wrapping here was a delicate, deep blue, with satiny white ribbon. She'd carefully folded the wrapping from the other gift, and she did the same here, gently pulling on on the end of the ribbon to loosen the bow. It slid off the wrapped box, pooling in creamy white curls in her lap as she carefully slid her finger beneath one of the taped ends, loosening it before she folded it carefully. She now held a box in her lap that was about the size of both her palms.

Holding her breath, Marin carefully pried the lid open with her fingers, working the delicate latch. Inside, nestled on dark blue satin lay a necklace with a delicate silver chain. The pendant was a deep blue stone, with faint silver striations through it. It was held to the chain with delicate wirework. She grinned slightly as she realized that it was an almost perfect match for the tunic and skirt that she'd bought at the festival.

Andrea grinned. "This isn't just from my family," she told her quietly. "My husband was interested in the training that I was giving you....and my father-in-law was as well. This is as much a gift from Cataan's monarch as well as this family."

Marin gasped. "M....me.......?" She blushed again.

Jarod grinned. "Everyone here the first year has alway's a special 'gift' from our hosts," he said. "Different for everyone, but just as special a meaning."

Marin's cheeks flushed again, and she hugged Andrea tightly for a moment. "_Vor'entye...._" she said softly, using the formal variant. "This is..._kandosii'la.... mesh'la_...." she breathed.

"I think some folks are waiting to enjoy the cake with you," Jarod teasingly prodded, looking over at a few of the younger students.

Marin giggled a little, carefully setting Andrea's gift aside, closing the box again as she pushed it and the other box to the side a little. Jarius offered her the knife that had been placed near the cake, along with a stack of small plates. She took it, and carefully cut into the cake, slicing it into four vertical sections before she cut it horizontally into smaller pieces. The other students began forming a line at the end of the table at which she sat. As she began dishing the cake onto the plates and passing them out, some of the students pressed small wrapped gifts into her hands. She was.. floored. _'How had her father managed to tell everyone at the praxeum without her finding out...?'_

"I have my ways," Jarius told her, sensing her curiosity. "I have my ways."

* * *

Later, once everything had died down and Jarius was in Marin's quarters, he handed her a simple wooden box with a ribbon around it. 

Marin sat down on her bed, tucking her feet up under her as she cradled the box on her lap. "You didn't have to..." she told him quietly, flushing slightly. She was still getting used to so many people caring about her. She ran her fingers over the smooth wood before she gently pulled the ribbon off.

"Well," he started to say as he sat down on the bed. "This is something you were going to get eventually anyway."

She smiled and curled the fingers of her right hand around his left for a moment before she began working the catch on the box. Inside, nestled snugly in the dark foam lay a modified DE-10.

"I picked this up from an old friend of mine who's grandfather served Corellia's Special Forces and in CorSec's special teams," Jarius told her. "His grandmother actually ended up using this one while they ended up working for Alliance Intelligence."

"How did you ever get your hands on it..?" she asked, grinning a little. "I thought CorSec weapons were off-limits..." Then she laughed, knowing she probably shouldn't have asked.

"Well, considering that this one's over fifty years old and was out of circulation for most of its life," Jarius said with a shrug. "He figured he owed me for helping him out on a special job once."

"Ahh." Marin nodded and ran her fingers over the smooth lines of the weapon before she set the box aside and hugged him.

He grinned as he held her there. "And, believe it or not, Ethan sends his wishes too."

Marin stilled for a moment. "He's not still mad is he....? I haven't seen him in a while..."

"Not anymore," Jarius told him. "I ran into him on Ord Mantell a week or so back. He's over how you showed him up."

"I'm glad for that...." she said quietly, leaning against his shoulder. "I was worried for a while because the test _was_ difficult... I wasn't trying to show him up... just defend myself... and without weapons..." she shrugged and smiled.

He nodded. "He'll live." He grinned at that and looked at the chrono. "You've got more training in the morning. Get some sleep."


	22. Chapter 22

Several weeks had passed since her birthday and the training passed smoothly during the spring months. It was several days before the summertime began and Master Karrde was discussing several things about the Jedi Code in the praxeum’s amphitheater when he looked to see Dilan walking up to the outer ring. 

The way the area was situated at the top of the theater was the only way inside from the western side of the courtyard. It was curved in shape and the stage part was opened to the forests that surrounded that part of the mountain. It allowed a natural backdrop to the speaker or performer on the state. Steffan felt it was an ideal setting for lectures and discussions.

What caught his attention was the person that was standing next to Dilan. He was a youth, probably close to Jarod’s age if not a little older. Steffan noted that the youth was wearing the tunics of one of the martial schools that resided in the province…and one of the more prestigious ones as well. He wore the baldric that was traditional for an official messenger and held a scroll in his hand. That told Steffan all he needed to know about what was to happen now and he motioned for Dilan and the messenger to walk down the steps to the stage part of the amphitheater.

Marin turned her head as she heard Master Karrde pause, and she followed his gaze. _She recognized that tunic..._ It was the same style and color as worn by the one who had faced off against Steffan at the festival. She tugged on Jarod's sleeve and pointed.

Jarod turned his head and saw the youth and especially that sash and scroll. "I think I know what this is," he whispered.

Marin frowned slightly, as she was unfamiliar with that area of Cataani culture. She watched with interest as Dilan and the messenger made their way to the stage. She noticed that a hush had fallen over the assembled students as if they were holding their breath.

Steffan moved to the center of the stage and motioned for the youth to come forward. "I need no ability in the Force to know what you carry to me," he said. The youth responded by bowing low and offered the scroll in both hands. 

"Master Steffan Karrde," he said as he remained bowed. "My master wishes your acceptance of this message and awaits your reply." 

Steffan took the scroll single-handed and brought his other hand to unroll it and started to read down it. The headmaster's penmanship was as reputed as his martial abilities, he noted as he continued reading and waited until he finished and rolled the scroll back up before he answered. 

"Tell your master that I accept and will send one of my students with a formal reply tomorrow," he said as he bowed to the youth. The young man rose and nodded before he started up the stairs at a faster pace to reach his horse outside the praxeum. 

Marin turned to Jarod, a question in her eyes. Obviously, the message was of some importance, for she had noted the formality. She knew where it came from, and if she was right, she knew who, but not why. She frowned again, scanning the rest of the students as they began talking amongst themselves. They were curious like she was. "What could the message mean..?" she asked Jarod quietly, keeping an eye on Master Karrde.

Steffan closed his eyes and reached out with his hand and made a motion three times, at the same time, three chimes sounded from the massive bell at the center of the praxeum. Three tones were a message to all the students elsewhere in studies or other matters that their attention was called to the amphitheater and within minutes, the rest of the students started to gather and take seats around the stage.

Marin's curiosity was piqued. It was not often that Master Karrde called such an assembly of the students. She exchanged a look with Jarod, slipping her fingers into his before she turned her attention back to the stage.

"My students," Steffan began to say as he looked upon everyone. "Word about our praxeum is picking up and gathering admiration. As such," he added as he held up the scroll in his hand. "We have received a challenge from the _Dar'ha_ school to the west of Edmonton. They've asked for four of our students in a fair match of four of theirs."

Marin gasped. In all the time she'd been here, such a challenge had not occurred. She'd heard of challenges that had occurred during the festival over the years... _but this..._ She exchanged a significant look with Jarod, squeezing his had in muted excitement. Around her, she could hear the excited buzz as the other students reacted to the news.

"This challenge has been long anticipated," Steffan continued to tell them. "I have expected them to come from other schools as well, looking to challenge the Jedi of Mt. Adan." The last part set the mood now, letting each student know that the feeling was about them. "I would like a volunteer to take the official response to their school tomorrow," he added.

Before she could even think, Marin's hand shot up. She felt Jarod's elbow dig into her ribs as he shook his head at her and grinned.

Steffan almost chuckled as he noticed that hers was not only the first one up, but one of only a few that were raised. "Marin, are you familiar enough to know the way?"

Marin stood. "I believe so, Master. Though a look at a map would not be out of order, just to make sure." She smiled at him, trying hard to contain her excitement. It wasn't easy.

Steffan looked over to the side and saw that Bran's arm was also raised and started to nod softly. Bran was a native Cataani and, though, from a different part of the planet, he knew the area well. "Marin, I want Bran to accompany you. He knows the terrain and the tradition, he'll be very capable to help you with any formalities. Agreed?"

Marin nodded. "Agreed, Master." She bowed in acknowledgment, looking across to Bran with a small grin.

"Now," Steffan said as he looked to the rest of the students. "To those who are not familiar with Cataani tradition when it comes to martial schools, let me explain. This will be our four best students against theirs. Since they are the school that issued the challenge, they are to choose the time of the match. As the challenged school, we choose the location."

"Jarod," he said as he looked over to him. "You are the best swordsman among the students, Koya, you will accompany him. Tara, I believe you and Marin will round out our students for the challenge."

Marin gasped, stifling a swear. She hadn't expected that at all. She knew Koya and Jarod well but hadn't had much chance to get to know Tara. She frowned slightly and raised her hand politely. "Master Karrde, what exactly does a challenge such as this entail?"

Steffan smiled and answered her. "It will be a series of duels, Marin. You against your opponent with bokken as your weapons of choice. The first to tap the other 5 times is the victor...if we win three out of the five duels, we are the victor."

"Excuse me, master," Tara chimed in. "You said three out of five.... yet you said four of our students against theirs."

"I did," Steffan said with a smile and held the scroll up a little for emphasis. "The fifth duel is a friendly challenge between their master and myself, as stated in their invitation. We are old friends and have always wanted to test the other. This is just a continuation of that."

Marin's eyes widened. She remembered the 'confrontation' between them at the festival as they played out the story of Itaro. She looked around at the other three. "And what of the location, Master.... we are to choose that, correct?"

"We are," he said with a smile. "And I have a thought on that, but I will make my decision when I write the response tonight. I'll expect you and Bran at the house after the morning meal."

"Yes, Master...." she replied and bowed, with a glance towards Bran, who nodded at her.

* * *

Steffan finished writing out his response on a scroll as Jade appeared in the doorway to his study. "Marin and Bran are here," she told him as he looked up from his writing. 

"They can come in," Steffan said as he looked back down and began to finish the letter.

Marin bowed politely to Lady Karrde, and stepped into Steffan's study with Bran a half step behind her. She was dressed once more in the blue tunic and skirt, with the sash tied low around her waist. She'd had one of the other students help braid her hair, and the pendant lay around her neck. Bran had also dressed in a more formal tunic, of a dark blue with black leggings and boots. As she entered his study, Marin bowed. "You wished to see us, Master Karrde?"

"Yes," Steffan said as he rolled the parchment and looked to them. He reached for a wax stick and held it close to a candle that he had lit for this purpose. Once enough was melted, he smeared it over the end of the scroll and pressed a piece of stone with his family's crest on it to seal the scroll. "Here's our formal response to the challenge," he said as he got up and walked around his desk. "Bran, do you remember where the _Dar'ha_ school is?"

"I do, master," the youth answered as Steffan placed the scroll in a special case and handed it to Marin.

Marin nodded and bowed, accepting the scroll carefully. She tucked it into the carrying case that hung off her belt. She had to admit that she still felt a bit.... awkward in a skirt.

"You won't have to be there for long," Steffan told them as they walked out of the house and over to where fresh mounts were waiting. He had anticipated Marin wearing a nice semi-formal outfit and had a side saddle that Andrea has used when she was younger sitting on one of the horses. "Really, only enough to present the scroll and await his verbal response. The school has a more traditional layout than the praxeum does, but Bran can point out anything that you may need to do or walk to."

Marin nodded and grinned a little at the side saddle. She'd figured, since she was acting as a formal messenger, she should dress more formally. She was Cataani after all, if by adoption. She smiled as she realized her mount was the same one she'd taken up to the praxeum the first time. "More traditional?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at Master Karrde as she climbed carefully into the saddle and arranged her skirt.

"And a bit more formal since you are wearing a skirt," he told her as he handed her the reins. "My daughter Andrea used this when she was younger, so it should work well. Remember, this is all about formality. If there are any questions you have on what you need to say or do, Bran can help you."

Marin grinned, her cheeks pinking slightly as she nodded and accepted the reins from him. For a moment, she looked down in thought before she looked at Bran. "Thank you..." She said with a nod to Master Karrde. She was slightly nervous, as she hadn't done anything quite so formal before.

Bran looked back and grinned before he made a double 'clicking' sound and tapped his heels gently into his horse to get them started towards the road that led to Edmonton. 

"I'll be at the praxeum," Steffan told them. "So you can return straight there to give me his reply."

"Understood, Master..." Marin bowed her head, and then clicked her tongue, nudging her mount forward after Bran. "We should be back within a day." And then she was gone, following Bran down the road until she caught up to him.

"There's no particular order that we have to ride in on the way there," Bran said after she caught up. "But once we get there, I'll be behind and to the side once we dismount and start to walk on the grounds."

Marin frowned. "Why?"

"Tradition thing," he said with a grin. "The messenger, as such, is supposed to be unarmed, so my role is to defend you should something happen. It's the old way."

Marin let out a breath, glad that Andrea had advised her to leave her weapons belt behind. She had to admit, that she felt a bit..... naked without it, but what he said made sense. She pondered that for a moment. "Besides the fact that I don't really know where I'm going..." she grinned at him, "do you think that's why he sent you along?"

"Well....," Bran said with a bit wider grin, "I do know most of the terrain...but I guess he figured that if he sent Jarod, you two might take a little longer getting back."

Marin blushed crimson at that and ducked her head slightly, but she was grinning. "A wise choice on his part then...." she said after a moment.

"I think the rest of us would've understood," he told her as they kept down the road. "There are a few others that have considered relationships besides you two. I remember Master Karrde saying it was only natural as long as it doesn't rule over everything else."

Marin smiled a little at that. "Yeah... we're all getting to that age where we're beginning to think the boys.... or girls in your case, might not actually be so weird. I think it started for me when Jarod helped me that first day, but I didn't really realize what it was until after he'd come back from Illum..." She sighed. "And to be honest, it's been _kandosii'la_ having him and others to talk to when _buir_ isn't around." She grinned a little in apology as she realized she'd let _Mando'a_ slip in again.

"I haven't seen him around in over a week. Where has he been?" Bran asked as they rounded a curve and looked to see Edmonton a little further down in the valley.

Marin shrugged, brushing a few loose strands of hair behind her left ear. "I'm not really sure. I think he's working some sort of bodyguard contract or something. He'd mentioned something about it before he left, but he didn't say for whom or where..."

"Probably for Dilan's sister-in-law," Bran added with a chuckle.

Marin raised an eyebrow at that. "What do you mean...?"

"It was partially a joke," he told her as they neared the town. "Dilan's wife, Kara...her sister is supposedly a young singer from Commenor. Pretty popular with some of the younger city-planet folks, from what I've heard."

Marin grinned. "It would make sense, though...." she said after a moment's thought. She studied the layout of Edmonton, noting the road that led off in the direction they needed to go. She chuckled slightly. "I really thought this would take longer than it is...."

"Oh, we're only to Edmonton," Bran told her. "The school we're going to lies well on the other side of the mountains there." He pointed to a series of peaks several miles from the other side of the town.

Marin laughed nervously. 'Well, it's a good thing I told him it would be at least a day..." She lifted her hand and shaded her eyes, studying the road ahead. "At least the weather is in our favor today."

"Aye, the summers are usually mild. " He took in a deep breath of the air and smiled as they continued down the road. "I'm really glad to be learning the Way here instead of at Chandrilla. I know its more of an oceanic planet, but this....this is home."

Marin smiled, remembering how he'd almost been sent to Chandrila. "I'm glad you stayed. And I'm glad we're friends..." She was silent a moment as she studied the mountains in the distance. 'I don't think I could ever get used to the ocean... I don't like cold and damp. So for me, it's here or _buir's_ that's home."

Bran nodded as they continued on. From Edmonton, it was an hour when they reached one of the passes that would take them through the mountains. Once they were through, they could see another town in the next valley. "Should be about another hour or so till we reach the school," he said as he led them on.

"Not bad..." Marin said appreciatively as she looked up at the sun overhead. It was getting close to noon hour. "I just can't help being a little nervous....." she admitted after a moment. "I honestly can't figure what prompted me to volunteer..." she shrugged and grinned.

"Eagerness to impress...and probably see more of the planet, maybe?" Bran asked.

Marin laughed. "Probably more the second than the first..." she allowed after a moment's thought. "I haven't really had much chance to travel.... and I was intrigued by the demonstration during the festival..." She went on to describe a little about how it resembled the Mandalorian _Dha Werda Verda_.

Bran nodded during her explanation. "It does sound very similar," he said as they continued down the trail. "I've heard of this school we're heading to many times before. They even did a demonstration last year during the festival. It will certainly be an interesting match up when its time for the challenge."

She grinned. "Makes me glad I spent so much time practicing. It should be.... educational, I think, in my case.."

"Then our arrival should give you some insight then," Bran told her. "We're probably sure to see every student there going through drills."

Marin grinned. "I know this school is one of the ones that train people who enter the Cataani Marines....and the knights. How similar is their training to what we learn?"

"In some ways....very similar, but different in our own way," He told her half-cryptically. "Master Karrde, being a Jedi, learned their forms of lightsaber combat. It's said that before he started training at the Jedi Academy, though, his father - of Cataan's knights - was already teaching him the way of the sword. I've seen some of the records and stories from other Jedi that after he arrived there, he was already besting some of their more seasoned students."

Her eyes widened at that. "He's very skilled...." She thought a moment. "Actually, the first time I met him was when I saw him practicing in the training circle. It was..... breath-taking. I could feel the Force swirling around him." She frowned slightly. "It's strange really. I thought when I first came here that I'd have to choose between the Mandalorian way or that of the Jedi..."

"I can understand the difficulty there," Bran told her. "If you had tried to go to Chandrilla, Master Tahm might have had reservations about you trying to walk both ways. I think Master Karrde is more understanding with that... I've heard it said that a 'natural warrior' is a rare thing, even among our people. Many inside and outside of the Jedi Order believe that he is one of them."

"I wonder if it has anything to do with how he was raised..." she mused. "I know, for a Mandalorian, we are trained from a rather young age. I was six when _buir_ found me... and he started my training almost immediately.... though he didn't officially adopt me until just before I came to Cataan." She smiled, reaching up to wipe away a tear as she remembered the emotion of it. "For a Mandalorian.... when you become one... your past is erased... forgotten. As if it never happened. You are only judged by what you do from then on. The Mandalorians call it _cin Vhetin_.... a clean slate... a new beginning.."

"Could be. We're all trained in, at least, the basic martial forms...even artisans, merchants, the nobility. Its just part of our heritage." He chuckled a little, "I think I know the other reason I was chosen to accompany you as well."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "And that would be?"

"Well, I began training young because I wanted to enlist in either the Navy or Marine force," he said as he grinned. "So, the logical school that my father decided to send me to was...." He gestured towards their destination.

Marin laughed. "So... how exactly did you end up at Master Karrde's praxeum then...?" she asked curiously.

"One particular sparring session, the master noticed that my reflexes were considerably faster than my opponent. When he asked me about it, I did tell him that when I released all thought, it was like I could see my opponent's next move." He closed his eyes in memory. "He invited Master Karrde the next day to observe another sparring session, with a different opponent at that time. After that, they spent a long time in discussion in the master's room in the school."

Marin grinned. "Reminds me of the discussion _buir_ had with _Et'ika _before I came here. I... almost didn't want to come at first because I... thought he would just leave me here..." She smiled slightly, and reached beneath the collar of her tunic, pulling out something else which hung on a heavier chain than the pendant she wore. She fingered the object for a moment, running her fingers over the scrolling lines of script that were engraved on the metal.

Bran saw the movement and turned to look closely, eyes starting to widen now. "Wow."

Marin flushed, and moved to stuff the chain beneath her tunic again, but something stopped her, and she looked to Bran. "_Me'ven_...?" she asked.

"Where did you get those?" he asked her, gesturing to what she had just had in her hands.

Marin flushed again. "They're _buir's_..... he gave them to me..... something I could keep close while he's gone...." was her quiet answer. She didn't fully understand the significance of it.

"May I see?"

She hesitated for a moment, curling her fingers around the tags before she passed them to him. Jarius hadn't told her all that much about his service in the Marines.

"I only want to read the information on them," Bran added. "It is pure curiosity, I assure you."

Marin nodded quietly. "Sorry, I'm a bit... protective of them I guess..."

Bran slowed his mount and leaned over to read over the script on them and mumbled quietly to himself as he read then suddenly... "Oh, my great Lady above," he whispered as he read over it again.

Marin drew her mount up beside his and peeked over his shoulder. She hadn't quite learned to read the Cataani script yet. "_Me'ven_...?" she asked quietly, sensing his surprise. "What is it...?"

He looked up at her. "I thought I recognized his face and his name," he said softly, gesturing to the tags. "Has he not told you about this?"

Marin shook her head. "_Nayc_... and I'm not exactly sure why....."

Bran pointed to the second line of the inscriptions. "This identifies his rank as Master Sergeant in the Cataani Marines... its the second highest non-commissioned rank one can attain. And the third line shows his hometown as Edmonton." 

He looked up at her. "Great Lady above....._I've known this man_!"

"But... _how_......?"

Bran shook his head in disbelief..._he hadn't told her_. "Your father was a special forces sergeant. He went through enlisted training with mine....and they both served under the master of the school we're going to! Great Lady above... This means when we arrive there, I'm having us go inside a different way."

"What.....why???" Marin asked, confusion in her voice. "Ethan told me once about _buir's_ special forces training, but he never gave details...." She was still trying to understand why it was so important now.

"This is something I feel will be important," he said, holding his hand on her shoulder to reassure her. "It's not just two students from Master Karrde's praxeum delivering the scroll. It'll be the children of two of his marines that he trusted with his life... it'll set an entirely different tone in front of his students. This is good."

She frowned. "I still don't understand. Do you think that's why Master Karrde allowed me to go... because he knew?"

"A very good possibility," Bran said. "And I think a good opportunity for us. And I'm sure the master there will be glad to see a sign of Jarius being able to move on after what happened with his family."

Marin was still confused. "I think I came in half-way into the holovid here, care to fill me in here, _vod._..?" She nodded at his last comment, remembering what Lady Karrde had said the first day she'd arrived on Cataan.

"Did he ever tell you about his family?"

"_Elek_, a little...." she said softly, remembering the sorrow she'd sensed then. "I asked him about it after he brought me home that first time."

Bran nodded and clicked his horse on, he'd tell her on the way to the school. "From what I learned from my father, yours was approached by a group....I can't remember who he said they were. But they tried to 'convince' him to join their outfit. It went so against Jarius' grain that not only did he refuse, he had mopped the floor with them when they attempted to 'convince' him with force."

Marin nodded and kept pace with him. "_Kyr'tsad_..." she whispered. "Death Watch..."

"I didn't know that... Later on," he continued, "while his unit was on a training exercise, they received an emergency message to recall him to their home base. His wife and several others had been killed when a shuttle they were on exploded. I remember my father telling me that he had a text-only message waiting for him when he got back...it was the ones responsible."

Marin gasped. "He ... never told me any of this..."

Bran looked at her in surprise. "None of it?"

"Not in great detail anyways...... he kinda glossed over it... was probably trying not to scare me....."

He nodded softly but hesitated. "I'm not entirely sure if it's my place to say the rest unless you want to hear it."

Marin shrugged. "I might as well hear it sooner rather than later..... and I've seen some pretty nasty things myself..." Her hand unconsciously slid down over the long scar on her stomach from when she'd been younger.

"It was said he went off the grid while on bereavement leave. Then news started showing up of a string of deaths in the systems outside of our control..and some inside. Some of them being very brutal. It had reached my father that it was Jarius going after the people who tried to recruit him and killed his family. One of the instances...." he shuddered. "Father didn't know I was eavesdropping or I would have been whipped...but he had dealt with one of them by strapping the man to his sublight engines."

Marin swore, feeling her stomach twist at the mere thought. "Wh...what happened then....?" she asked, feeling slightly sick. She drew her mount to a stop, feeling as if she might faint.

"He went on to his next destination....."

Marin felt ill. She could only imagine what had happened then. She sat there for several moments, trying to bring her stomach under control. "That's... _jare'la...._" (stupidly oblivious to danger) she muttered.

"Well, Jarius wasn't listening to his training and reasoning...or, at least, not that part of it," Bran said. "He was edging close to what Master Karrde calls the Dark Side...."

Marin nodded silently, running her finger over his tags again before she slipped the chain around her neck once more. "I've heard him say a few times that he feels he's barely worthy of steel... I think that is the reason he doesn't have a saber... I asked him about it once. And also why I think he didn't continue training with Master Karrde.." She sighed. "I think he was worried if he continued the training, something like that might happen again..."

"_Worthy of steel....._" Bran said to himself as he looked down the trail. "To hear a Cataani say that.... especially a Marine... I guess what was said of what he did was true then. It takes a lot for one to genuinely feel that."

Marin nodded sadly. "I've tried to get him a bit involved in my training here, but..." she shrugged helplessly and took a few calming breaths, trying to settle into the focusing technique Jarius had taught her so long ago.

Bran turned his mount and looked at her. "I think enough has been said then," he said to her with a soft smile. "Wouldn't want you to have to wipe tears away before we get there."

She chuckled a bit at that. "I'll be alright, I think...." she told him softly as she drew her mount to a stop, feeling the technique begin to relax her. She reached up with her left hand, to slip the tags under her tunic, leaving nothing but the chain visible, along with the pendant Andrea had given her.

* * *

The remainder of the trip was spent with small talk as Bran led her through the town and down the road towards the gate of the school. They entered with no problem and Bran could hear the sounds in unison of a drill in progress. "I knew they would," he said as he began to dismount.

Marin nodded, and grinned a little, looping the reins over the pommel of her saddle before she jumped easily to the ground and smoothed her skirt, running her fingers over her hair in a quick check before she adjusted her belt that held the scroll case. Master Karrde had provided her with a baldric in the praxeum's colors, and she adjusted it on her shoulder before she turned to Bran and said softly, "I'm ready...."

"Alright," he said as he also adjusted the belt of his Jedi robes and made sure his training saber was as it should be where he could get to it. He was in the midst of building his own lightsaber. "The way I want to do it, I'll be leading in and will make a formal introduction, okay?"

"Ok..... and what do I do again...? "she asked quietly, suddenly nervous as she smoothed her skirt again. She still felt a bit... exposed without her own weapons, but she knew it was necessary. And she trusted Bran. Especially after their test together.

"After I introduce you, he may say a few things about your father and may ask you if he is well," he told her before they entered. "Once he has stopped talking on that subject, you'll need to declare that you are bringing Master Steffan's response to his challenge and his choosing of the location for the match. Once he gives his formal reply after reading the scroll, all that is required of us is to bow and go unless he wants to say one more thing about your father."

"Alright...." Marin let out a long breath and squared her shoulders, considering for a moment if she should make the tags visible.

Bran picked up on the thought. "Not sure about that idea."

She smiled a bit nervously. "If he's as observant as I think he is, I may not have to..."

"That is true," he said with a smile. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be..." she did one more check, smoothing her skirt again before she fell into step beside him, careful to keep her head erect. She was here on official business. As they crossed the courtyard, she glanced around surreptitiously, much like she would if she were checking an area for danger. It was a habit she still had, even though she knew the chances of such here were low.

Bran walked up the wooden steps and through the open doorways of the building. The school was just as he remembered it. It was an open floor area with rooms off to the sides. The floor was the same matting that was in the main hall of the praxeum, but the center portion of the floor held the same markings as the training circle...Cataan's master's wheel. 

The students were practicing a kata in unison, one that he had done many times before when he was here and were doing it extremely well. Bran knew that it was to show the visitors something about the school that had challenged them. Steffan selecting him to accompany her would probably throw that track off somewhat. In the center of the back wall, kneeling and watching his students, was the school's master. He stood up as they approached. Bran walked up the center of the floor, through the master's wheel and bowed deeply to the master.

Marin hid a frown as she saw Bran cross through the center of the Master's Wheel. She kept to the edge as she'd been taught, showing the respect. When they came together again, she bowed to the Master and waited for Bran to speak.

"My greetings to the Colonel this morning, Master Taylon," Bran said as he kept bowed. The students in the hall looked to each other at what their former classmate had done and looked to their teacher, who motioned for them to sit and they did so, their bokken to the side. 

"Bran, son of Merod," the master said as he stood up and walked up to the two of them. "Have you not known enough from the teachings of myself, your father, and certainly Master Karrde to disrespect the training circle in this way?"

"I do apologies deeply, teacher," Bran said as he stayed bowed. "But the formality of introducing someone of great importance to the teacher of this school, as well as a colonel of our most respected Marine Corp required me to do so, given the layout of this school."

Marin looked sideways at him but kept silent.

The master's eyes widened slightly at this and he looked from Bran to the young lady who walked in with him and looked her over. He recognized the pendant she wore as one that was usually a gift from royalty..... but it was the subtle hint of a chain under her tunic that caught his attention. "And this person of importance would be?" he asked quietly.

"Master," Bran said as he raised up from his bow and gestured to Marin. "It is my honor to introduce Marin Durza....adopted daughter of Jarius Durza."

Marin bowed low then, glad she'd been studying her Cataani. She spoke slowly and carefully, her voice was just loud enough to reach him [It is a great honor to meet you, sir. I apologize that my father could not be here...] She stood erect once more, and had to fight the urge to tuck the tags under her tunic again. Instead, she left them in plain view.

"Jarius Durza," Master Taylon said quietly, his expression lightening as he looked at her, a smile slowly coming to him. "Your father was one of my most trusted soldiers. I mourned with him personally at the loss of his family many years ago. It is good to see that he has taken to adopt a daughter into his family. You knew well to do this, Bran....she is of importance to me."

"Yes, Master," Bran said as he looked to Marin and signaled her with his eyes.

Marin took a slow breath, catching Bran's glance. Her left hand dropped to the scroll case at her waist. She opened it and carefully withdrew the rolled parchment. She held it in her left hand, and moved forward, sinking to one knee as she extended the parchment carefully in both hands, with the seal facing towards him. "Sir, I have come to deliver to you the reply to your challenge. Please accept this scroll from my sensei..... Master Steffan Karrde." As she finished, she lifted her gaze to the Colonel's. Not in a disrespectful way, but so he could see her clearly. The light glinted faintly off the oval tags that lay against her tunic.

The master looked at the tags that hung from her neck before he reached for the scroll. He read the writing from a distance - they were indeed Jarius' tags. He took the scroll from her hands and broke the seal to unroll it and start reading, nodding as he did so. 

"Your master chooses an appropriate location," he said quietly as he continued to read the scroll. "Tell Master Karrde that we will be at his chosen location in one week at dawn...and we look forward to good fellowship between our schools along with this match."

Marin nodded as she filed that information away in her mind. She inclined her head from where she still rested on one knee. "I shall so inform him, Sir." She resisted the urge to look sideways at Bran, sensing that breaking eye contact right now wasn't the best idea. She had a strange feeling... as if the Colonel was taking her measure.

He nodded softly and gestured so she could rise. "When next you see your father if you would pass along a message from me."

Marin stood, and felt impressed to move a couple of steps closer. She felt Bran tense slightly, but she wasn't worried. "It would be my honor, Sir. What message would you like me to pass to him..?" she asked quietly. She could feel a strange fluttering feeling in her stomach, but she stilled it with a breath.

"Let him know that an old friend has been worried about him for a long time and that the door of his home is still opened to a visit. Perhaps, if the Lady wills it, I may be able to see him next week."

Marin had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from gasping._ The emotion she'd felt from him._... it almost brought tears to her eyes. He considered Jarius much like a son. It took all of her self-control to keep any trace of it from her face. She bowed again. "I shall tell, him, Sir." She could feel the emotion in him again and had to resist the urge to reach out to him. She felt it wouldn't be appropriate at the moment.

"Very well, then," the colonel said as he looked to them both. "It is good to see you again, son of Merod. May you both have a safe journey back to Mt. Adan."

"Thank you, master," Bran said as he bowed one more time and began to turn to go.

Marin bowed again. She hesitated a moment longer, and then backed away and turned to follow Bran, mindful of the boundary of the Master's Wheel.

Outside, Bran led her to where their horses were and as he mounted up, he could hear a bellowed command, followed by the movement of students shuffling around and yelling the first move of another kata. He could only shake his head at the sight...just as he remembered.

Marin watched them for a moment before she placed her foot in the stirrup, and swung easily into her sidesaddle, taking the reins from the student who'd held them with a nod. She was rather quiet for a few minutes as they made their way back outside the gates.

Bran waited until they were outside the gate of the school and looked back to Marin with a wide grin. "It went even better than I expected."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "You had me worried there. When you cut through the Master's Wheel...." she just shook her head and grinned. She fell silent a moment. "I... had no idea that my father was of such importance to him..... or anyone really.."

"As I said, not many reach the rank of Master Gunnery Sergeant before retirement age....and those that reach it around then have really either busted their rears or applied boots to an enemy's in the purest sense to get that rank," Bran told her. "It doesn't get handed out freely."

She nodded, still a bit awed. She reached up with her left hand again, her thumb tracing the engravings for a moment before she slipped the tags back under her tunic. She'd have to ask Jarius about it later. "So, a week. That doesn't give me and the others much time..." she mused after a moment, keeping an eye on the trail ahead as they turned towards Edmonton.

"Then I guess we need to hurry back with the response," Bran said as he looked up the trail. "Think you can handle going faster in side-saddle?"

She grinned at him. "I think I can manage...." she settled her feet deeper into the stirrups and gripped the reins before she looked over at him.

"Let's waste no time, then," Bran said with a grin as he tapped his heels into the horse mildly. "HA!"


	23. Chapter 23

Over the course of the next week, Steffan had taken special care with training the four he had selected for the match while Andrea had increased her training time with Marin with her particular style. He was well satisfied that they were well prepared for the event.

The evening of the match, he had the students turn in early for a sooner wake up the following morning. It was still dark when he had them awakened and gathered for the morning meal. Once that was done, he had instructed them on how he wanted them to arrange themselves for the match and they proceeded to ride towards the setting that Steffan had picked. 

Getting to the site, daylight was already breaking and there was a mild mist over the plain that he’d selected, shrouding a stone plinth in the center of the field. He signaled for the students to spread out and follow behind him in a line as they rode further towards the plinth. As they got closer, he could see shapes through the fog that later resolved into the master and students of the opposing school. 

Steffan held up his hand to call his students to a halt and saw his friend do the same. He rode up a little more to meet up with the colonel.

Marin drew her mount to a halt beside Jarod and Koya, her eyes following Master Karrde as he continued across the mist-covered plain to meet with the Colonel. She was dressed as the other three were; in the dark blue tunics and black pants that were the colors of the praxeum. Her bokken was tied to the rear of her saddle, and she looked around, studying the area as she usually did when coming to a new place.

Steffan and the Colonel stopped next to each other and greeted each other with the warrior's grip. "Fair morning, Colonel," he said with a smile. 

"And to you, Master Jedi," Taylon said as he looked over the field. "I somehow knew you'd pick the field of the Brother's battle."

"It was historic then," Steffan said as he gestured to the plinth. "Just as our match is. I believed it would honor the ones who were here."

The colonel nodded and looked towards Steffan's students. "I see you picked Jarius' daughter as one of your fighters. I appreciate you sending her last week, Steffan. I had been concerned."

"I know," the Jedi told him as he nodded and looked back. "Jarius has been well and sends his apologies for not being able to be here this morning."

Marin frowned slightly as she saw the Colonel glance in her direction, but all she felt from him was an appraisal _and a bit of relief_? She shrugged inwardly. Perhaps she'd get a chance to talk to both him and her father after the challenge was over. She squashed down on a pang of disappointment at that thought, for he was gone again. Her hand went unconsciously to the tags around her neck, and she traced the engraving with her thumb as she took a slow breath. She looked to her left and caught Jarod's small nod.

"Nervous?" he asked her quietly.

"A little..." she replied, guiding her mount closer to his. "I wish _buir_ could be here..." She tried hard to hide the disappointment in her voice, but it still came through.

Jarod nodded and reached out to hold her hand as Master Karrde approached and nodded to the remaining students, who moved to form a half-circle around their side of the field. Jarod looked and could see that the other school's students were doing the same. 

"Tara will be first," Steffan told the four that gathered around him. "Koya will be second, followed by Marin and then Jarod."

Marin squeezed his hand for a moment before she let go, and moved to join the others with Master Karrde, her bokken in her hand. She was a bit surprised that she and Jarod were going last, and she said as much. "Excuse me, Master..... may I ask why Jarod and I are to go last?"

"Just the order I picked for the three of you," he told her. "However, usually the school's champions would go last. Since the master challenged me as the final match, Jarod and their champion will be the fourth match."

"Ahhh..." Marin nodded. That made sense. "_Vor'e_..." she told Master Karrde softly, slipping her hand into Jarod's again. She looked across the field and saw one of the students from the other school walking towards the plinth with his teacher.

"Tara," Steffan said as he dismounted. Tara was quick to dismount and draw her bokken from its place on her saddle before they walked towards the other two. From a short distance, Jarod could not hear what was said, but it wasn't much longer before Tara and her opponent were alone on the field. Their match lasted a bit longer than Jarod anticipated, with each duel of theirs ending in a draw. Bran had told him that they train to a very high standard and it showed in their ability to fight a Jedi student to a draw. 

"Wow," was all he said as he saw the fifth fight end in yet another draw. "I never would have believed that before if I hadn't seen it."

"This is going to be a real eye-opener," Bran said as he sat in the saddle with them.

Marin nodded, remembering the drills she'd seen the students working through when she'd visited the school a week before. "The discipline they train under... it's... incredible. They are very skilled..." She looked to Bran for a moment before she turned to Jarod and said softly, "My father trained there... before he joined the Marines..." She traced Jarius' tags with her finger again - it was a habit she'd picked up when she was nervous or missed him.

Koya dismounted and walked up, nodding to Tara as they passed and prepared to face the next opponent.

"What do you think?" Jarod asked as he looked to Bran. 

"Close matchup," Bran said as he looked at the opponent. "I've faced him before, he is a difficult opponent."

Marin reached down, and gripped Tara's arm for a moment. "You did well. Fighting to a draw takes a lot of skill on their part." She smiled a little before she turned to watch the duel. Koya was doing well... but it still impressed her how the student from the _Dar'ha_ school seemed to match him move for move.

"I was worried there for a moment," Tara admitted as she got back up on her horse. "Bran, you were right, they are really, really good."

"You did _kandosii_...." Marin told her quietly as she kept an eye on the duel. "A draw is nothing to be ashamed of. If I hadn't seen it for myself, I wouldn't have believed it, either. It speaks highly of their training."

Koya and his opponent matched each other move for move. As hard as he tried, it ended up as another draw. Two victories for Koya, two for his opponent and their final fight had ended in a draw. 

Jarod was shaking his head and grinning. "I knew it would be an interesting day..... I do believe I underestimated that."

"I told you it wouldn't be as easy as you thought," Bran told him. "Especially with Master Karrde's rule of not using the Force to aid us on this. It would have been an unfair advantage."

"Aye," Jarod said as he watched Koya walking back towards them. "Marin...." he said as he smiled at her. "Your turn to show us what Lady Andrea and your father taught you."

Marin swallowed, taking a few deep breaths before she nodded. She ran her thumb briefly over Jarius' tags before she slipped them back under her tunic and squeezed Jarod's hand. She slid down from her mount, and landed easily, drawing her bokken from the wooden scabbard that was lashed to her saddle.

She took a moment to go through a few quick warmups, and then she stepped out onto the field, her bokken held firmly in her left hand with the tip down and behind her. She moved across the field, focusing using the technique Jarius had taught her. It wasn't long before she stood a few paces from her opponent.

The other student bowed to her slowly before he shifted his position with his right side more towards her. He held his bokken in his left hand as if it was a sheathed sword, his right hand free at his side.

Marin returned the bow, and responded in kind, spreading her stance a little. She was glad that she'd spent so much time training without using the Force. The _Teras Kasi_ would be useful here..... '_If only buir could be here....'_ She pushed that thought away, and breathed again, centering herself in the moment as she watched her opponent. Her fingers flexed slightly around the hilt of her bokken, but she made no move to attack.

It was as if it had been a flash, the student's right hand flew to the grip in his bokken and soon had made the motion of drawing the weapon and swung in a wide arch as if he would strike her neck

Marin barely saw the blade move.... it had been so fast. She brought her own blade up to block as she sidestepped. His strike went wide, and she pressed in, forcing his blade down before she pushed him away with a firm, but not injuring elbow to the chest.

The force of the push set his footing off and he bounced backwards to recover, bringing his bokken into a guard position and held it for a fraction of a moment before he pressed in again with a lateral strike.

Marin had been holding her own blade in a ready position. She circled slowly, sweeping her blade low to block the strike before she brought it back up in a strike towards his exposed right side.

He rolled to his left after the block and just barely avoided her strike and brought his around in an attempt to catch her across the back if she overextended her own attack.

Marin ducked and rolled under the strike, swinging her legs around to knock him off balance before she rolled clear and to her feet. A few strands of hair had come loose of her braid, and they framed her face. She didn't dare take the time to tuck them out of the way.

He hit the ground on his back from her sweep and rolled backward and assumed a kneeling guard for a moment and slowly rose up when he saw that she hadn't approached yet. There was a smile on his face out of respect now as they circled. No words were needed as he slowly brought his bokken to point away from his as he lowered his center of gravity.

Marin nodded, recognizing the look. She kept a few meters between them and circled for a moment. His bokken was low. Marin flexed her fingers for a moment. She'd shifted her own grip to a reverse, and she crouched slightly, watching his movements.

He came in fast with his bokken low, barely keeping it from dragging on the ground as he closed to range and suddenly swung it upwards.

Marin knew if she tried to block the strike, she'd lose her footing. She tracked the blade with her eyes, keeping her blade in a guard position. At the last instant, she dropped and caught herself, sweeping her left foot around to hook his right knee. As he fell, she took up her bokken and came to her feet again, gently but firmly tagging him in his trailing leg.

Jarod, seeing the strike, barely caught himself before giving out a victorious shout, but looked to Bran, who also had a smile on his face. 

The student got up and rubbed his left knee for a moment and nodded to her before resuming a different guard stance this time.

Marin spread her feet again, assuming a slightly wider stance. She held her blade slightly high, with the blade riding her forearm in a reverse grip. But her stance was low, and it didn't present much of a profile. She watched her opponent for a moment as she began circli_ng _slowly, keeping her left side towards him.

Marin moved across the grass this time, her blade somewhat hidden from view. As she drew close, she suddenly brought the blade around, feinting to his left before she swept her blade up and towards his right shoulder.

He saw the feint and scooted back for just a moment as she revealed her true attack, he brought his blade up at an angle from the ground. But he threw in a surprise... As their blades connected his left hand went from the grip of the bokken to hers and pulled her towards his right as he brought his blade around and tapped her right arm as she passed.

Marin gasped in surprise, her eyes widening as he tapped her. She stumbled past him a couple of steps before she gained her balance. When she turned again, there was a new respect in her eyes. She grinned slightly at him, as if to say, "_So that's how you want to play, is it..?_" She shook out her right arm before she took the bokken in both hands. Again, she spread her feet, studying his positioning a moment before she moved again.... much faster this time. Her blade came in quickly from the right - her off side, sweeping in to connect with his in an audible crack. The blades didn't crack, but she'd put a bit more force behind this strike.

The force of it knocked his blade wide, and she moved in, her right hand sweeping down across his wrist as she got in close. She could feel the muscles spasm slightly, but to his credit, he didn't drop the blade. She swept her right hand up, driving it towards where his shoulder met his neck, she connected, but was careful to not put so much force into the strike that it would injure. It did, however, stun him momentarily, and she took the opportunity to tap him firmly across the thigh with the flat of her blade.

He rubbed his shoulder several times and rotated his arm to work out the attack she used on him that last go around and carefully thought out his next move. He nodded softly and started to walk up closer to her, his bokken down and relaxed in his hand.

Marin frowned for a moment. His stance wasn't aggressive at all. That threw her slightly. She stood frozen for a moment, as this was the complete opposite of what had just happened. She kept her own blade ready, but didn't move to attack.

He suddenly lunged forward not with the blade of his weapon, but the grip. It had caught her by surprise and she moved her blade laterally to knock his grip aside. At the last moment, his shifted his grip to where blade on blade was going to contact in a way where he was pushing her blade away from her and thrust his forward at an angle that just missed her neck. There was no actual tap....but it was an understood killing blow.

Marin gasped. She'd fallen for it. She took a couple steps back, her eyes wide as she regarded him for a moment before she nodded. _One strike left_.... She took a breath and settled herself again, looking across to him, as if daring him to try that again.

He took a moment to collect his thoughts, knowing this was the final one for them and it could go either way. He took a long, deep breath and popped his neck and looked as if he was still settling in when he lunged forward with all his force, the tip of his blade leading on.

Marin reacted, without even thinking. She dropped, rolling head over heels away from him. His blade passed mere inches above her. She took up her bokken again, and flipped over him as he was still extended from the strike. She landed behind him and turned quickly, throwing him off-balance as she settled her knee behind his left and pushed slightly. He slid to his knees, and the next instant, she had her bokken pressed lightly but firmly to his throat.

It was his turn to gasp at the suddenness of her response, but it was almost drowned out by the hoot that came from Jarod before Master Karrde looked that way to silence him, but couldn't help but smile himself. 

Marin hid a smile and pulled her blade away, holding it as if it were sheathed before she offered him her hand to pull him to his feet. When he stood again, she slid her hand up his forearm until she gripped him in the warrior's grip and nodded respectfully.

He nodded in return, gripping her arm for a moment before he released and bowed, turning towards where the Colonel waited.

Marin returned the bow and turned towards where Jarod and the others waited. She couldn't help the smile that spread across her face when she saw Jarod's grin. She walked over to him, and climbed back up into her saddle. When she was settled, she gently grabbed his arm, stopping him from dismounting. _'Just a second....'_ she sent, grinning a little. With that, she leaned over and gently kissed his cheek, mindful of her manners and present company.

Jarod smiled at Marin’s kiss and looked across the field to gauge the other student’s attention. He winked at her just before he dismounted and pulled his bokken from the saddle and started to walk across the field to see another student walk towards him. He couldn’t help but smile as they closed the distance and greeted each other with the warrior’s grip. 

“Kelso,” he said as he smiled at his opponent. “I didn’t see you at the festival this year. Was everything alright?”

“A family affair,” Kelso said to him. “An older relative close to us had passed.”

“Oh…my apologies,” Jarod said with genuine surprise. “I’ll be sure to pray for your family. Late, I know, but prayer should be said nonetheless.”

“I thank you,” Kelso said with a smile and nod and meant it. “Did I see you receive a last kiss from the young lady that visited us last week?”

Jarod looked back to Marin and could not help but grin as he looked back to his opponent. “Aye…we have developed a relationship.”

“Have you realized who she is?”

“I know who she is, and it doesn’t matter,” Jarod said to him. “She is a fellow student studying the way, like myself and she walks the path of the Mandalorians.”

That caused Kelso’s eyes to widen in surprise …and would give him something to tell his fellow student who had just fought her. “Well…shall we?”

Jarod nodded and backed away somewhat before he relaxed his stance and held his bokken to his waist as if an undrawn sword. 

Marin watched the two converse for a moment, and noted Jarod's glance back in her direction. She got a faint sense that his opponent had said something about her, for she'd seen his look. But it was nothing more than appraising - as the Master's had been. She gave him the smallest of nods, for she did remember seeing him during her visit. And then the duel began. She moved her mount closer to Koya's so they could converse quietly, as she kept an eye on the field.

His stance was still loose when Kelso drew and still waited until it was real close to him before he drew his bokken back-handed to block the strike he kept drawing both blades around over their heads and pinned Kelso's blade down as he moved forward and rolled over his back to the other side. As soon as he landed his brought his blade up quickly and struck firmly in Kelso's ribs for the first tap.

Marin had to bite her tongue. Instead, she turned to Koya and grinned at him. Jarod was indeed the best swordsman among the students, and it showed. She studied how he moved and she saw many elements of his chosen saber form. His movements were efficient, and quick.

Jarod backed away and resumed his relaxed stance again, with his blade low and pointed just slightly away to his right. Koya and Tara had both settled in what Master Karrde described as the sixth form...or was it fifth. Marin was well suited for the fourth and had her highness personally showing her the techniques. For Jarod...he was starting to find his home in the third form. It was defensive in nature, but so quickly could it be turned to attack. As Kelso came in again towards Jarod's left, he quickly brought his blade to the left to block with the tip pointed down. But as soon as they connected, he lunged forward, with the tip pointed away and drew the 'edge' along Kelso's neck, but felt a strike hit his back. It would be a draw...

Marin gasped.... they'd _both_ been tagged... She exchanged a glance with Koya, stealing one towards Master Karrde. She knew both were skilled, but that wasn't anything she'd expected... and she got the feeling Jarod hadn't either. She sent him a brief pulse of encouragement as she settled back in her saddle.

Jarod grinned at her encouragement and looked over to Kelso. "Very nicely done," he told him as he relaxed his stance once more, his blade in a normal guard but held single-handed as Kelso came in. First strike was high and blocked, second, third and fourth came in rapid succession and Jarod kept pace with them all before he lunged forward and struck Kelso not just once in the stomach, but ducked a counterstrike as he went past him and reflexively struck a second time behind Kelso's shoulder. It was standard move and Kelso raised no complaint about the second strike at all, neither did his master.

Marin almost let out a cheer... but she say Koya grin and shake his head with a look towards Master Karrde. Marin grinned at him.

Steffan nodded to her as he kept looking on. Jarod had set up into a guard stance with both hands gripping his bokken now. The two circled for a moment until Jarod brought his blade to point the other way as the other assumed a high guard, keeping his left foot towards him. They stayed like for a moment before Kelso decided to charge in. As soon as he was within range and started to bring his blade down, Jarod pivoted backwards on his right foot, bringing his blade up to shoulder level. Still moving from the pivot, Jarod narrowly missed Kelso's bokken as he brought his down right on his attacker's shoulder. The fourth round went to him.

_'One left....' _Marin thought to herself as she watched the other boy shake out his shoulder. This set of duels was going much quicker than some of the others, but then, the two boys had more experience. She turned back to the field, leaning forward slightly as she pulled her canteen from the back of her saddle and took a long pull before offering it to Koya.

They came at each other at the same time, strike and block, counterstrike and blocked again, They spun around for a moment and strike and counter strike again. But what surprised everyone was they spun around again with such speed and they both pulled the same attack at the same time and both their bokkens struck the other's neck at the same time.

Marin's eyes went wide. _'How in the Manda...?'_ She stared, barely stifling a surprised swear. She traded a confused look with Tara and Koya before she glanced at Master Karrde.

Steffan saw the strike and only nodded. He was impressed with the training of the opposing school. The first two ended in draws, Marin and Jarod's duels were victories, so it rested on him now. 

Steffan dismounted from his horse and patted the stallion on the neck a few times as Jarod came walking back up to where the group was waiting for him. “Well done,” he said to Jarod when he got back to them. 

“Thank you, master,” Jarod said as he stood there and caught his breath for a moment. “Sensei, I noticed that you did not have a bokken with you as we left the praxeum,” he said as he shifted his and held it at the blade and grip and held it out to Steffan, bowing his head. “Please, use mine.”

Steffan nodded and gripped the weapon between his hands. As Jarod got back on his horse next to Marin, Steffan started to walk the field as he saw Taylon already there waiting for him. “I must admit,” Steffan said as he got there. “I have been thoroughly impressed by your students. I knew Bran’s skill to the point it was when I received him was good considering the time he had spent with you. It has been a fine contest.”

“And a fair one,” Taylon said as they looked to each other’s students. “I knew your word was good when you told me in your scroll that your students would be instructed to not use the Force in today’s match. That would have tipped the balance in your favor…this way, we all know the quality of their skill… and their instructor.”

“I thank you,” Steffan said as he looked towards the plinth and gestured towards it. “Shall we, my friend?”

“_Let us begin…..”_

Marin watched with interest as Jarod presented his bokken to Steffan. She'd noticed that he'd not brought one as well. Her gaze followed him as he moved out onto the field, before she turned her attention to Jarod for a moment, hugging him roughly after he'd mounted his horse once more. She caught Koya's grin briefly before they all turned to watch the final duel. There was a hush that settled over those assembled as if all were holding their breath in anticipation. The skills of both Masters bordered on legendary... at least among their students.

"The same rule applies to our duel, then?" Taylon asked as they stopped. 

"Of course," Steffan said. The answer was a trigger, and he knew it for Taylon swung out against him. Steffan brought his blade up and blocked the first strike. The Colonel went for a lunge from the block and Steffan shifted to his left and avoid the thrust and pushed the other's blade away. He brought his up for a strike and was blocked as the Colonel came around in an upper block. He moved to try to bat Steffan's blade down, but the Jedi had already pulled back and then lunged forward and caught his blade between Taylon's arms as he turned slightly and sawed his blade back. It would have meant a lost arm for the Colonel if it was real and so it was a victory for the Jedi.

Marin exchanged a look with the others. The speed at which the two men moved was incredible.... especially given the fact that Master Karrde was not relying on the Force. She remembered then that he had trained in the Way of the Sword from a very young age... probably close to the age she'd been when Jarius had started her training. She clenched her fist in her lap but somehow restrained herself from shouting. Something told her that this match meant a lot to both men.

Taylon didn't hesitate to come again, low to his right to aim for Steffan's hip. Steffan blocked with the tip of his blade pointed down and away from him. When they connected, Steffan started to lunge forward with his grip reversed, but Taylon kept his blade in contact with Steffan's to keep the strike from touching him. They separated from each other then lunged again. Steffan blocked a strike to his right side then spun in the direction, which put the colonel off balance and allowed him to strike the colonel behind his shoulder.

_'Two for Master Karrde.... three strikes remain....' _Marin thought to herself as she watched the duel in contemplative silence. She was studying how both men moved... almost in concert with one another. She could tell that Koya and Jarod couldn't tear their gazes away either.

This time, it was Steffan that pressed the attack. In the short time that it took the colonel to turn around, he had to instantly bring his blade up to block Steffan's overhead blow. He was going to lower it to counter but had to bring it up again at an angle to deflect a second strike. He ducked under and to his right as he prepared to draw his blade across, but Steffan had shifted with him and started to bring both of their blades down to the ground. 

Taylon took a guess on what the next would have been and backed up before Steffan had a chance to move. The Jedi stumbled just slightly, but brought his blade up in a wide arch to bat the counterstrike away and lunged forward and put his shoulder into the Colonel. They both fell down but Steffan rolled with the momentum and was up on his knees and swung around just to catch the colonel in the upper thigh as he tried to move in for a strike.

Marin gasped, and heard a faint exclamation from Jarod as well. She almost hadn't seen it, it had happened so fast... But then she grinned._ 'So, he's not all about the sword.... he can play rough too...'_ she cast a look towards Jarod and saw him nod. _'Perhaps... I shall compare notes with Master Karrde..'_ she told herself silently.

Steffan came forward again, but the Colonel sidestepped him and gripped his tunic to throw him down. Steffan's left hand went to the colonel's wrist and applied pressure to release his grip. He raised it high and went under, throwing the colonel over his shoulder. Taylon landed with a loud _umph_ but when Steffan closed in, he brought his blade up at the last moment and Steffan walked right into it.

Steffan couldn't help but laugh as he backed up. "I should have expected that," he said as he rubbed the spot on his stomach. Normally, he would have...dueling the Colonel with his senses closed down was definitely refreshing.

Marin's eyes narrowed. She knew it had to be difficult to duel someone when you were used to relying on the Force..... but it also presented a challenge... it forced you to approach things differently and to be more physically aware. She grinned slightly, her respect for the Colonel going up a bit. He wasn't playing dirty..... just using all of his skills. Both of them were.

Taylon rolled up and knelt for a moment before he stood up again, relaxed this time. "I've been asking myself this for many years," he said as he regarded Steffan. "Every time we've practiced against each other...you have always made a point to shut down your connection."

"I have," Steffan said as they stood there. "It would be an unfair advantage, as you said."

"But there has always been this bit of curiosity in me," the colonel said as he walked up to a short distance. "How fast would it have gone if you_ didn't_ limit yourself that way?"

Steffan only looked at him. "It would not be right to do so, my friend."

"Come on," Taylon said with a grin. "I may regret it, but this day is yours anyway. For an old friend, please."

Marin couldn't quite make out what they were saying.... but she caught the gist of it from the Colonel's emotions. Her eyebrows went up in surprise, and for a moment, she wondered if anyone else had caught it. She glanced to Koya and Bran to see if they had.

"I don't believe it," Jarod whispered as he looked to the two of them.

"What is it?" Bran asked him.

"Did..." Marin laughed softly, glancing sideways along the line of Master Karrde's students. "Well... this is about to get.... _interesting_..."

"He's asked Master Karrde to take the gloves off," Jarod said in amazement. 

Steffan closed his eyes and opened himself fully. It was as if the flood gates had been opened he could feel the energy swirling around him now. He could sense the response of not just his students, but the Colonel's and all of his school across the field. Every tree, every animal, even the spirits of those that had fought on this field eons ago. 

Marin traded a look with Jarod, her eyes wide in surprise. _'Did you .... __**feel**__ that..?' _she asked, her mental tone awed._ 'It's...... kandosii'la....'_ She knew what Master Karrde's presence felt like... But this..... it was him... and yet... not, at the same time. She stared across the field to the two men, her mind filled with wonder._ 'How.... is this.... __**possible**__...?' _she asked. She'd never felt his presence quite like this. It was as if he kept himself closed off somewhat. She frowned, remembering what Andrea had said about him being a practitioner of the Seventh Form. She'd said it was about release..... holding nothing back...

Steffan opened his eyes and looked towards Taylon, who had backed just a fraction when he saw Steffan's eyes...there seemed just a pale glow to them now. 

"Are you still certain about this, Colonel?" Steffan asked one last time. 

Taylon brought his bokken up to the guard stance that he normally used...he wasn't going to go back on his request now. "Whenever you are, Master Jedi."

The result was so fast, he hardly would have believed it. In a moment, Steffan had slammed his bokken against the Colonel's and drove them both in that direction of travel. Before he could even strike, Taylon's weapon hit nothing but air as he felt himself get tapped twice in his back. As he turned around to counter again, he saw Steffan against the plinth... actually launching off of it against him. He barely brought his bokken up to a vertical block in time. Steffan's blow came with so much power that it shattered the wooden blades on both of their weapons. 

Taylon's eyes were wide as he looked at the broken remains of his weapon in hand and turned around. Steffan was kneeling on the ground, still holding what was left of his in his strong hand. It was a moment before Steffan slowly began to stand up and leaned his head back as he took a deep breath. When he turned around, his eyes were normal and Taylon could not help but regard him in a new respect now. "Master Jedi," he said to Steffan as he walked up. " I am indeed impressed. The match is yours."

Marin gasped, and glanced to Jarod, Bran, and Koya. She spotted Dilan astride his horse as he held the reins for Steffan's mount. The older boy was grinning. She caught his eye, hoping he could pick up on her curiosity. She had to know, but figured it could wait till after things had concluded here. She felt a brief pang, wishing Jarius had been here to see it. She'd have to tell him about it. And maybe.... they could visit the Colonel the next week. She turned an eye to the field again, just as she saw the two men grasp each other in the warrior's grip before they bowed.

Steffan walked up slowly to the rest of them, taking the reins from Dilan and climbing up onto his horse before he turned and rode towards the rest of the students. He looked at each of them in regard and nodded softly. "Jarod, my apologies for destroying your bokken."

"There are more to be made, my master," Jarod said with a deep bow of respect. 

"My students," Steffan said to the rest of them. "The match is ours."

It started with a few students, but more and more shouted a victory yell as they raised their hands up high. Steffan barely stopped himself from it, but he grinned nonetheless as their enthusiasm. 

Marin thrust her fist into the air, a grin spreading across her face. "_Oya!_" She knew Steffan knew the meaning of it, and she gazed across at him with a new level of respect.

He waited till the cheers died down and everyone was settled once again. "With me," he said as he started to lead his horse off the field. Dilan lined up behind him and to the left while Jarod went to his right, the rest of the students lining behind them.

Marin guided her mount behind Jarod's. She looked behind them one last time, her gaze connecting with that of the Colonel for a moment as she nodded in respect. She'd definitely have to find some time to talk to the man. It was a long moment before she faced forward again and twitched her reins to catch up.


	24. Chapter 24

The doors opened slowly as Jarius made his way into the outer courtyard of the praxeum and dropped his pack from off his shoulder. He looked around the courtyard and everything looked just as it did when he had headed out months ago but....there was a different feeling about the place now. He was about to ask one of the people who helped maintain the grounds as he swept the leaves off the walkway until he spotted Marin coming out of the student's quarters.

Marin had just come out of the dormitory, and she shaded her eyes as she looked into the late afternoon sun. And then she saw him. She hadn't seen him in months.... Her hands flew to her mouth, and then she sprinted across the courtyard. Mere seconds later, she found herself swallowed in a hug as his strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her to him. She couldn't stop the tears... but they were tears of joy. "_Buir_..... I missed you..." she said softly, her voice muffled against his tunic.

"I missed you too," he said with a grin as he spun her around. "I know I've been away for too long."

She giggled and clung to him. He hadn't done that since she was little. "Where were you...?" she asked, her hand clutching unconsciously at the tags that were ever-present around her neck.

"Here and there," he said as he knelt down. "Dilan's sister-in-law must have been really impressed with the security detail I ran for her for a while from the way her manager acted when he presented my pay credit chit. But, I'll be honest, I'm not sure security details is something I'd want to handle again."

Marin frowned. "Why not?" She remembered Bran having mentioned that during their visit to the _Dar'ha _school. "What happened?" she asked, clutching his hands as if she never wanted to let go, her other hand clutching his tags.

"Nothing happened, per se," he told her as he got up and they started to walk. "But leading a detail, you have to keep your eyes open to everything in a different way. I've been more used to being a hunter instead of a protector in that regard, but I guess that's what helped me be able to keep an eye out for anyone that might have wanted to do her harm. At any rate," he said as he stopped and looked at her. "You sure are gripping the tags I left with you. And I'm sensing a different feeling about the school this time that I've come inside. What's been going on with you here?"

Marin flushed slightly and grinned, wishing for a moment, that Jarod was about, but he was off training with Master Karrde. "Well....." she paused and pulled him over to sit down on one of the benches that had been placed under a large tree. "You remember the festival that Edmonton hosts ever year... the _Ar’tru Sian_, to honor their military veterans?" she asked him, brushing her black hair from her face as it ruffled in the slight breeze.

"I should," he said with a smile. "Since I'm one of them."

She continued after a moment. "Master Karrde took us all to it, and that was the first time I'd seen the... dance that the Knights do for it. Jarod told me that the Knights and many of the students from the _Dar'ha_ School perform it. He also said it was common for the _Dar'ha_ school to issue a challenge to one of the other schools in the area. That didn't happen this year." She paused and grinned at him, about ready to burst. "A few months ago, after the Festival, a messenger from the _Dar'ha_ school came to the praxeum to present the challenge from his master... to Master Karrde..."

"_Dar'ha_," Jarius whispered as he looked down and smiled for a moment. "I bet the place hasn't changed at all. So....who took the response to them?"

Marin grinned. "You're looking at her. Well, I volunteered, and Master Karrde sent Bran with me since he knows the area." She looked at him. "You didn't tell me you'd studied there. Bran told me when he saw me playing with your tags. I... didn't know..."

Jarius looked over at her and nodded softly and leaned back against the tree. "I guess it wasn't the first surprise you got that day, either."

"_Nayc_.... it wasn't..." she said quietly, fingering his tags again. "I haven't kept up with my studies of the written Cataani, so Bran read your tags for me... He said that you achieved the rank of Master Sergeant and that you're from Edmonton..." She paused. "He seemed a bit shocked that I didn't know about it...."

She slipped her fingers into his. "He told me a bit about your... past... and how... you resigned." It was hard for her to talk about now, and she clung to him. "When we... when we got to the _Dar'ha_ school, he had us go in a different way, and he led. He seemed intent on introducing me to the school's Master, though I can't figure out why. He said you were a person of some importance, and that he had to introduce me to the Master...... and when he did....."

Jarius was grinning now, thinking of some memories from that time. "You met Colonel Taylon, didn't you?"

Marin nodded. "_Elek,_ I did. I like him. I didn't get a chance to tell you before, but he said that..." And she closed her eyes, remembering the message before she recited it. "_Let him know that an old friend has been worried about him for a long time and that the door of his home is still opened to a visit..._"

It brought such a smile to his face as she told him the message. "I guess I had gotten too solitary in my ways," he said as he leaned forward and sighed before he started patting her knee. "_Mar'ika_, I'm sorry I hadn't told you everything about me - that you've had to learn it from others instead of me. I'm sure it has brought up some more questions too," he added.

Marin nodded. It sure had. She chewed on her lip for a moment before she looked at him again. "_Buir_.... from what Bran told me..... when you found out your _riduur_ had been killed, you went after the _Kyr'tsad,_ and you.... killed them...." her voice caught in her throat, and she felt her lower lip trembling as she remembered. She knew that he could kill when needed, _but that_.... it was totally unlike the man she knew as her father.

He closed his eyes hard, not knowing what she might be thinking about him then. _ 'But'_, he told himself, _'better to talk it out now than later.'_ "Aye," he said softly. "I started hunting them down, every single one of them I could find."

He started to get up and walk around the tree as he continued. "Whether they were part of the group that was directly responsible or not; they were _Kyr'tsad_ and that's all that mattered. I went on for weeks, or longer. I was so engrossed in killing them that I didn't know what it was doing to me inside. It was like a voice inside my heart, encouraging me. I could feel it grin with every one of them I killed...."

His voice caught for a moment as he leaned against the tree. "When Ethan and Master Karrde found me, I wasn't the same person who found you, _dalyc'ad_... I...finally realized the monster that I was becoming."

Marin's lips trembled, and she couldn't help the tears that traced down her cheeks. She felt the anguish he felt - the horror at what he'd started to become. She reached out and gripped his hand, not letting go.

He looked around as he sat back down next to her. "It took me a lot of time with Master Karrde to get through the feelings I had; to be able to shed that anger I held in my heart for so long. We spent a lot of time here instead of being at his home so, I guess, it could be said that I was the first of his students here in this place...."

She smiled at that and leaned into his shoulder. Something had been bugging her. After a moment, she voiced it. "With how hard you hunted them the first time, what's to keep them from finding _you_...?" her voice was quiet.

He nodded at her concern. "It was many years ago. If they know I'm still alive or not, I don't know. When Ethan started to show me the Mandalorian way, I had shed most of who I had been. If they do or they don't, its a small matter right now; they'll know soon enough."

Marin frowned. "_Buir_.... you're not going after them again...are you...?" she asked carefully.

He shook his head. "No, not the way I had before. Master Qenadius told me that they were active again and causing trouble for us. So I've been quietly looking into what leads come up and things that I had discovered when I was hunting them before. But, no, I'm not on a warpath for them."

She let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding and snuggled into his shoulder. "I'm glad," she said softly. "I wouldn't want to lose you..." She sat like that for a few moments calming herself. Then she looked up at him.

"Hmmm?" he asked her as he looked over to her, seeing another question there.

She smiled at him. "I was just wondering if you wanted to go see the Colonel, and I haven't told you about the challenge yet..." she finished with a grin.

"Well," he said as he got up. "First, my good news then you can tell me the challenge."

"You have good news?" she asked curiously, sliding off the bench.

"Well, I've made the decision, since things look well off right now...." he hesitated then looked at her with a grin. "That I can take some time out for a month or so. And Master Karrde has already offered me quarters, but was going to see if you wanted to go home for a while or stay here with you so you can continue your studies."

Marin paused to consider that. "I'd like to go home, but I promised Master Karrde I would stay..." She grinned at him and threw her arms around him, her joy at his announcement flooding the bond they shared. "I've missed you so much.... and I always wished you would stay and train a little..."

"Well....." he said, looking over at his pack, making her wait for the rest.

She narrowed her eyes and punched him gently in the arm, her gaze following his... to his pack. Her eyes widened and she looked back at him, her mouth agape.

He was laughing now. "He talked me into it," he said with a grin.

Marin squealed and threw her arms around his neck. "_Kandosii!_"

"I was given the old shed on the other side of the grounds," he said as he pointed to a section of the wall where a small building was. "It has an old forge there, so it can be used for a certain project that you and I need to attend to."

Marin's eyes widened and she gasped. "You mean that?" She stared at him, her mouth agape as his words sank in. "Does this mean I need to move out of the student quarters....?"

"No, no no," he said as he looked back. "You've settled in very, very well and I wouldn't want to disrupt that. No, I'll be here to learn some and maybe can do some work at the forge and such..."

She grinned at him, and the next instant she plowed into him engulfing him in a hug that threatened to cut off his air. She buried her face in his shoulder for a moment, mumbling, "_Vor'e_..."

* * *

It took him a bit to get used to being in the praxeum and among so many for an extended amount of time, but Jarius had taken it in stride as he settled in on a routine for the short time he would stay at the praxeum. He was up sooner and traveling farther on his runs than the students were doing, he'd also taken the time to continue additional exercises and practice, both on his own and with Marin training with him. What took him the longest time to get around to do was some additional instruction with Steffan, which was just the two of them per his request. 

Jarius had been feeling his focus drifting lately...especially with his activities leading him closer and closer to finding information concerning the Death Watch. Inside, that voice from years before was starting to make slight whispers again....to reawaken the monster he had been before. That was the main reason he had returned; to seek additional instruction from Master Karrde. As it was now, he sat alone close to a corner of the main hall, his back to the doorways from the courtyard. He was sitting in a meditation position, going through the techniques that Steffan had taught him to bring himself into focus and finding a peaceful center within himself. He registered several students passing through, on to different studies or practices of their own.

Some would stop to look and see at what he was accomplishing, and he did register surprise in them when they did. He paid it no mind. '_Hadn't they seen someone meditating before, Mando or otherwise?'_ What didn't register to him was that while in his attempt at meditation, he had also awaken another part of himself, something of which he was only partially aware. Jarius was slightly floating as he was in meditation...and several objects around him. Yet he failed to know what he was unconsciously doing. 

Steffan had told him that he could detect faint traces within Jarius that were connecting him to the Force...but Jarius never really took it in completely. He was firm in his path and the 'hunches' and 'feelings' he'd always gotten was just that faint trace. But now, it was slowly awakening.

Sure, Marin missed the time they could have spent together with Jarius being at the praxeum, but she was glad to see that he was finally beginning to start some training of his own. She wasn't exactly sure why. but he had insisted that his training be private and separate from the rest of the students. She could guess why. For one, he was a lot older than the majority of them. She shrugged and smiled to herself as she made her way to the courtyard. She'd just returned from the morning run. What she saw as she stepped into the courtyard made her stop in surprise.

She stared. Jarius sat over in a corner of the courtyard, his back facing the training circle. She was used to seeing him meditating lately, but what surprised her was the fact that he was.... floating. And not just him. His pack that he usually carried was floating too. She stood there in amazed silence for a long moment before she ventured quietly across the courtyard to where he was and sank down on the bench that was just behind him. She tucked her feet up quietly and stilled her mind using the technique he had taught her so long ago. She found it calming and reassuring that he was so close by.

He registered Marin behind him and her surprise as she approached and sat behind him. He still couldn't see the surprise to see him meditating there...but new thoughts suddenly appeared to him. _Sounds of blaster fire...a lot of it. There were sounds of explosions and he felt a sudden sense of pain within himself...and a sense of sorrow... It felt just as strong as how it was with him when his family was lost, just as the sense of anger and pure unadulterated vengeance started to make itself known._

_'But....it wasn't coming from him...it had come from Marin...' _He opened his eyes suddenly at this.. _revelation?_...that had come to him. Then the full effect of what he had done begin to register to him as he felt like he was falling...and hit hard on the paving stones of the courtyard. 

"_Spast_!" he muttered as he started to rub part of his leg that hit hard. He looked and saw that his pack laid different than where it was when he sat here to start his practice. _'Just what the hell had he done?'_

Marin opened her eyes at the muttered curse and slid off the bench. "_Buir_.... are you alright?" she asked softly, gently laying her hands on his injured knee. "Let me help..." she said softly.

He turned to look at her in a new light now, knowing what he had _'felt'_. 

"I'm okay, _Mar'ika_," he said as he got up and walked around some. "Just how long were you behind me on the bench?"

"I.... don't know." She frowned for a moment in thought. "Maybe fifteen minutes, why...?"

He shook his head as he looked around. "Did you move my pack? Its not how I left it.."

Marin shook her head. '_Nayc, _I didn't. _You_ did...." She grinned slightly at his confused look. "When I came into the courtyard, I saw you meditating. But you were.... floating... and so was your pack..."

"I _what_?" Jarius asked as he looked at her. "_Mar'ika_, you aren't joking with me, are you?"

Marin shook her head. "You know I wouldn't, _buir_....." She pointed and held her hands apart. "You were about this far off the paving stones...."

He looked at how far her hands were, still feeling the twinge in his knee as he looked to his spot again. His only response was a slightly surprised look as he sat back on the ground and leaned back against the bench. "_I never would've known it possible...._."

Marin smiled and scooted off the bench to sit beside him. "If you can do that..... I guess it's kind of like my learning the Fourth Form..." she mused softly. She frowned after a moment. "_Buir_... what did you feel in meditation? When you first saw me.. you looked at me kind of oddly.."

"I'm not entirely sure myself," he told he as he rubbed his eyes. "But I think this is probably something I need to discuss with Karrde first."

Marin frowned in disappointment and nodded. She was quiet for a moment. "Are you hungry...? It's time for the morning meal."

"That, I am," he said as he slowly got up. 

* * *

“Another dream?” Steffan asked him as they talked alone walking through one of the covered walkways around the praxeum.

“Not this time,” Jarius said as he looked towards the forests outside. “No, I would have to say a premonition since it just happened while I was practicing the meditation technique you taught me.”

Steffan nodded and listened to everything that Jarius told him about what he had seen and felt.

“I’m concerned at how soon this has come to you,” he told Jarius as the thought about it. “It sounds just like what you told me just after Marin started training here.”

“I remember what you said about it as well,” Jarius answered in return. “It has come and gone since then and I have not dwelled on it, but have thought about things that needed doing in the here and now. Some additional training here that might help me, trying to be here more for Marin…”

“She has felt more upbeat with you here,” Steffan noted. “And I can attribute that with you being here. She’s missed you quite a bit and has had to learn so much about you in such a short time. The revelation she received on the way to Colonel Taylon’s school was such a surprise to her. I’m almost disappointed that you didn’t confide in her about who you had once been.”  
  
“It’s a mistake that I have attempted to correct now,” Jarius said to him as he turned around. “At any rate, Steffan, this is where my concern lies…it felt…” He sighed as he turned to look at the master again. “It felt like it would be soon.”

Before Steffan could reply, Jarius started feeling his comlink vibrate before it started to tone out a specific pattern.

“Expecting a call?” Steffan asked him.

“Not through the ship’s communication circuit, no,” Jarius said as he pulled the comlink and keyed it on. “Yes?”

“_I hear you’re still looking for Danos J’oran.” _The voice he couldn’t place, but the name mentioned instantly had Jarius’s attention, and he had to suppress the feeling that came up when he heard it. Steffan knew the name as well and as on alert just as Jarius was.

“I’ve not looked for him for some time,” Jarius said cautiously.

“_But you’re still looking for Death Watch,”_ the voice said, calm….yet, it still sounded like the person it belonged to has something ulterior motive in mind. _“When you’re not spending time on Cataan lately, that is.”_

_That_ got a reaction out of Steffan. Whoever it was, they had been keeping track of Jarius’s movements.

“You obviously have the advantage,” Jarius said. He was starting to get irritated now…he hated games. “What do you want?”

“_I can tell you where they’re operating at right now,”_ the voice told him. _“I might even be able to bring them to you.”_

“I’m listening.”  
  
_“I have a text-only message waiting for you. It’ll have instructions on where you can meet me.”_

Steffan was slowly shaking his head. Jarius understood it too, there was no way of knowing if this was a setup to catch him…or worse.

“I’m not too thrilled with the idea of walking into a situation I don’t know,” he told his caller. “The place will be of _my_ choosing.”

_“I don’t have the opening to hop around to a different location,”_ the voice came back, agitated this time. _“I have them located and I only have three days before I lose them. If you want them, you’ll meet with me.”_ The link cut off and Steffan just stood there as Jarius looked at the comlink and put it back on his belt.

“You know this is a trap,” Steffan said as he looked at him.

“I know it is,” Jarius said with a heavy sigh. “Three days. That either means it’ll take me that long to there if I leave now or gives me time to scout out the area.”

“I would probably think the former,” the Jedi said. “But it is a trap. Whoever this is knows that you’ve been here between contracts and your search for Death Watch. He knows that you went to look for J’oran and probably knows, to some extent, of the killings you went on to look for him.”

“Either way,” Jarius said. “Its an opportunity that I really don’t know if I can pass up on.”

“It is too good to pass up on,” Steffan commented.

“Exactly.”

“That’s my _point_, Jarius,” Steffan told him. “You _know_ that this is probably a setup to get you into a position to be cornered and possibly killed. What were we just talking about before he called?”

* * *

Jarius had been at the praxeum close to a month now, and Marin was really enjoying having him close by. She'd missed him terribly in the months he'd been away. She was glad that he'd opened up a bit more about his past. She sighed and scuffed her toes a little bit on the paving stones as she made her way across the courtyard. He never did tell her why he'd looked at her funny the other day. She sighed. _'He'll tell me when he's ready to,' _she told herself. It only made her feel a little better.

It took her a few minutes, but she finally reached Jarius' quarters. Pushing the door open, she stepped into the cool dimness, blinking as her eyes adjusted. Most of the space was taken up by a large forge. Over in the corner, there was just enough space for a cot. But it was what was on the cot that caused her face to crease into a frown. His pack lay open on the bed, and she could see some of his tunics sticking out of it. She glanced around looking for him _'Why would he be packing? He'd said he had a couple of months?' _"_Buir_, are you here...?" she called out, after a few breaths to try and calm herself.

"Here," Jarius said as he came around the corner, checking the blaster she usually wore and holstered it at his thigh as he went over to close up his pack.

Marin wandered over and sat down on the edge of the cot, frowning. "_Buir_.... where are you going? I thought you'd be here for a while...."

"I thought so too," he told her, closing up his pack. "I was talking with Master Karrde when a call came in. An unknown source contacted me through the ship's comm and said I had a small window of time to be able to get ahold of some certain people I've been looking for."

Marin frowned. _'The only people he'd go after like this was....' _Her eyes widened. "But you _promised_. You said you'd be here.... " She drew her knees up on the cot. "Who is it this time...?" she asked, her tone a bit sullen.

He looked at her, all of a sudden worried about how he would answer this. But she deserved a straight answer. He finally set his hands on his pack, sighed and looked at her. "_Kyr'tsad_," he said quietly.

Her eyes widened again, and she stared at him. "You said you wouldn't.... _buir_...." She suddenly remembered her worries from over a month ago. _'He'd brushed them off then, but..' _ "You promised me you wouldn't!" 

"This is not about revenge," he told her as he looked right at her. "Death Watch has been causing a lot of trouble and there's been a standing order to find these people and to take them out. I'm going to scout it."

She knew that tone. There was no way she could talk him out of it. Something nagged at her, but she didn't know what it was. "So you're going..." It wasn't a question. She slid off the cot and pushed towards the door, turning to hide her tears as she shoved it open. She really didn't care if it was a standing order or not.

"Marin?" he called as he turned around to get her attention.

She ignored him and pushed the door open the rest of the way, hearing it fall shut behind her as she took off across the courtyard.

Jarius turned to follow and left the door open behind him as he walked into the courtyard behind her. "Marin!"

She heard him, and as she turned to look, her tear-blurred vision caused her to stumble. She was just inside the archway that led to another part of the monastery. She fell, and barely caught herself. Slowly, she sat up, her back against the side of the passage. She heard him coming... calling for her, but she didn't move.

He started to pick his pace up until he caught up to her and pulled her into his embrace as he knelt down. "Marin..."

Marin was sobbing now, and she shook her head violently at him, tears choking her voice as she pushed free of his embrace. There were no barriers between them as she let her fear for him flood their bond. She didn't know where it came from, but there was a cold feeling that had settled in her gut when he'd mentioned it. Her voice bounced off the stonework as she yelled, "_You promised!_" She turned away then, sobbing as she took off again.

It made his heart sink feeling the anger and fear not just in her voice, but in her tears and in the bond they shared. He stood up and just looked after her as she stormed down the walkway and turned to head to a different part of the grounds. It took all Jarius had to keep from sighing heavily as he walked back into the room he had been using and picked his pack up. _'Maybe if he left a note behind...'_


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen to "Back to the House that Love Built" by Tito and Tarantula while reading the firefight; "Battle Without Honor or Humanity" by Tomoyasu Hotei from Kill Bill while reading the warehouse scene. All music can be found by searching Youtube.
> 
> Ke'jurkad kaysh - Attack him!
> 
> dar'yaim, - hell

Jarius pulled up the message as soon as he had the ship secured and started to read over the details. The contact was actually _in_ Cataani space, on the outermost colony. To Jarius, it made sense. It was the only area in Cataani space where smuggling activity was ever accomplished because the planet this mysterious contact listed was at the edge of the system. Ships were able to jump in and out under cover. It didn't make much of an impact on the rule of law there and was seen as a trade booster in the system, so it was overlooked by most of the authorities unless a dangerous situation developed.

_'And with Death Watch there'_, he thought as he started to input coordinates and set in a few ID overlays to his transponder frequency. '_It's decidedly more dangerous...and the fleet probably doesn't have a way to check traffic to know they're there.'_

The good news in this was that it was only a few hours away with the route he plotted to get there. It would give him a larger window to scout around under cover and see what the situation was before the three days were up.

He landed and had no trouble with port control as he settled with them on a rate for the docking berth. He had his _beskar'gam _covered under a cloak and had his helmet on his belt to keep it out of sight. The cloak's hood was up to cover his face as he went through the crowd, going through the local vendors as if he was just another passer-by, but his eyes were scanning the area and looked over everything. When he reached the cantina that the contact selected for a meeting place, he looked it over from the outside for a bit, going down on of the side streets to look to see of any additional exits that might be there. If there was anything he learned, it was to never go into a place he didn't know how to get out of.

_And that's when he saw one..._

It was a single person, coming out the back. He was in full _beskar'gam_ and Jarius was able to make out the insignia on the shoulder plates. It was the brand of Death Watch, no mistake. Jarius tailed him from a distance, keeping an eye out for others. This one was walking tall...proud...as he went down the street. It wasn't J'oran...the armor wasn't in the colors that Jarius remembered seeing him wear. But he was getting a feeling that this one wasn't alone. He stayed with the man until he saw him looking at the foot traffic, scanning very carefully before he went through the doorway to a warehouse building.

Jarius was on the other side of the street when he'd seen it, and stayed there, sipping on a cup of caf from the cafe he had picked out as he had seen the Death Watch member slow down his pace. A cursory look at the building didn't reveal much to his eyes. Later that night, under cover of darkness, he was back again. On the rooftop this time without his cloak on and his helmet scanners going over every bit of the building. It didn't look promising as far as any way to defend against any kind of assault. It wasn't typical, and it concerned him as he went to scan for lifeforms. That result intrigued him, for he was picking up multiple signs scattered throughout the building. Death Watch was here, alright....in force too.

Now was the question as to how he was going to approach this...

It was midday when Jarius just decided to move head-on into the cantina. Apparently, just another person that was decked in armor and helm was no new surprise to the clientele here as he moved through the crowd. Death Watch may have frequented this place for business, perhaps. He had a specific table listed in the instructions he had gotten and saw a cloaked figure sitting there waiting for him.

"You came earlier than I thought," the person said as Jarius approached him. The voice was starting to sound more familiar with Jarius now. The person gestured for Jarius to join him at the table.

"I don't have time to waste," Jarius said as he stood there at the table, ignoring the request. "Give me the information you have. I already know where they're skulking at, just tell me if Danos J'oran is among them."

"Patience, patience," the person said, letting a grin show under his hood. "I would have thought that old Jedi Master would have taught you some patience, as much as you've been at his school lately."

Jarius slammed his fist down on the table, knocking over the man's drinking mug, "Damn it, I have no time for games! You called me here, is he here or not?"

"Oh, he's here, alright," the figures said as he slowly stood up. The hairs on Jarius's neck were starting to stand on end now.

"He's been here the whole time," the figure said as he pulled his hood to reveal his face....it was Danos J'oran himself. "Ke'_jurkad kaysh!_"

Jarius heard the shuffling behind him and turned to see several cloaked figures standing up and throwing the garment aside to revealed fully-armored Death Watch members.

_'Blessed Lady above...I walked right into it....'_

Jarius's first reaction was on instinct and his blaster came up of its own will and fired a double-tapped shot into the closest one right above the top edge of his armor. He turned to aim on the next with he felt J'oran's arms wrap around his neck in an attempt to hold him at bay. A second came up with his carbine rising up to ready position when Jarius thumbed a control on his gauntlet and fired a stun web at him. It entangled the man and he was in the way of the other's shooting lines.

Jarius took the opening and sent his elbow back hard into J'oran's side several times, reaching for a thin blade the last time and drove it between plates. The man let out a yell as his right hand went to the wound and drove his left elbow down onto Jarius's back. Jarius responded by bringing his helmet up and hit the J'oran in the face to knock him back.

Jarius wasted no time to turn and fire another series of shots into the tangled man's body. By this time, the other patrons were running out the main entrance and the bartender was ducked behind cover... frantically hitting the emergency call for the local authorities. The other Death Watch members were spreading out, taking potshots at Jarius as he turned to see J'oran gone and he looked up to see the back entrance starting to close.

"Have a present from me!" he yelled as he pulled a concussion grenade off his belt and thumbed the control for a two-second delay as he ran for the back door, throwing it at his attackers as he crashed through to the back alley. He scrambled out of the way of the door. Two seconds later, the force of the explosion hurled the door off its hinges and against the opposite wall, causing it to cave in some. Jarius shook his head and looked down the opposite direction of the alley to see J'oran already a fair distance down the street, and other Death Watch members appearing behind him and heading for Jarius.

"Oh _dar'yaim_," he swore under his breath as he slapped a fresh powerpack into his blaster and drew his ripper with his left hand. "Alright! You've been asking for it...come and take it!"

_There wasn't going to be any quarter now..._

* * *

The door opened almost too easily when Jarius kicked it in, waiting around the doorway. It had been close to a running firefight to get this far. The Death Watch members had been a tough lot, but he’d already taken several of them down and the rest decided to hole up here. In a way, it confused him. He just didn’t see any way to make a good defense there. Jarius stayed to the walls as he went inside, his helmet scanners going over every bit that he looked over. He had both of his blasters drawn as he moved slowly.

“_I knew it would only be a matter of time before you started to look for us again,”_ he heard from somewhere. It was J'oran, for certain...taunting him. He moved his head slowly, scanning throughout the building but didn’t pick up any kind of sign. _“Ah, Jarius…..you fought so well today. It’s a shame that you didn’t accept our offer. You would have been so useful to us over the last few years.”_  
  
Jarius couldn't help himself anymore. “Did I really look like some rouge Guildsman that you felt you could sway to the _kyr'tsad_?” he finally asked them. “I knew your outfit was running short on brains, J'ornas, seeing as how I killed so many of them… but really thinking that you could get a Cataani Marine to join your ranks. Hah! You must have been really short on brains that day.”

He knew his taunt would bring maybe a few out of hiding. One popped out from a corner and tried to surprise him, but took a shot to the neck right under his helmet dropping him quickly. A second tried, but Jarius ducked under the man’s shot and fired into the man’s hip. When he hit the ground, Jarius rammed the end of his blaster under the man’s helmet and fired again, seeing the orange glow through the man’s visor.

_Yesssss_, he heard inside his mind. _It feels good to pull that trigger again, doesn’t it? _

Jarius shook his head, knowing exactly where it was coming from. He forced the dark intent out of his heart as best he could and looked around as he went between cargo crates. “You’re not going to be able to hide in here forever,” he said.

“_Hiding?” _he heard from around the corner of the next crate. The hair on the back of Jarius’s neck prickled as he turned the corner with his blasters out…

…and saw a metallic box with a speaker attached to it. As soon as he had turned, he saw another attachment start to blink with a few flashing lights, beeping as it did so. Along with it, he faintly heard more of the sound… all around him.

  
_“Who said anything about hiding?”_ came J'oran's voice from the speaker just as the beeping stopped.

_'Marin…I’m sorry',_ were his last thoughts…

The entire warehouse ruptured from the explosion, sending the panels that made up the outer walls flying through the surrounding buildings. The shockwave blew out transparisteel windows for blocks around the building as a solid wall of flames went through the streets.

On top of one of the buildings far enough away to see the explosion but not feel the effects, Danos J'oran stood up from where he had been crouched down and tossed aside the comlink he had been using to broadcast his voice and the detonation signal. "So long, Jarius Durza," he said as he turned to walk away. "One less problem to worry about."


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen to Rob Dougan's "Furious Angel" during the chase. All music can be found by searching Youtube.

Steffan sat up quickly from the sleep he was in at their house. His eyes were focused... yet distant as he was trying to figure out what had just happened...._'could it have been?' _

"Love?" Jade asked, awakened by the sudden movement and turned to look at him. "Steffan, what is it?"

"I'm not sure..." he said as he tried to focus on it more. "It was Jarius... and..." Then he felt the sudden jolt of agony... close... from the direction of the praxeum. It spurred him into sudden action and his feet went into his moccasins that were next to the bed as he pulled the tunic he had been relaxing in on and started to grab his equipment belt with his lightsaber attached. This got Jade's attention and she was up soon behind him.

"Steffan, what's happened?" She asked as she reached for her night robe. She could feel the urgency now as well.

"I think something bad has happened, but I'm not sure..." Steffan said as he started to go down the hall. "Contact Dilan at the cottage and have him get a horse for me and one for himself ready to go soon as I get there."

* * *

In the darkness of her room, lit only by a few pale rays of moonlight, Marin thrashed beneath the sheets. _She saw Jarius..... but she couldn't make out where he was. She felt a flash of red-hot anger from him... such as she'd never felt. And then a few whispered words, which were consumed as the area he was in exploded into a ball of flame, smoke, and shrapnel shooting skyward._ Her eyes snapped open. She lay there, her legs tangled in the sheets, her body drenched in a cold sweat as she gasped.

The whispered words seemed to echo in the sudden stillness of her room. _'Marin.....I'm sorry.....'_ She reached out, trying to sense him... and there was nothing but a black void. As that fact sank in, she let out an inarticulate scream. She didn't care who she woke. She drew her knees to her chest, her fingers closing into fists as she wrapped her arms around them, trying to muffle her sobs into her pillow.

Jarod, not even bothering with etiquette after he had heard her scream down the hall, bashed the door open and saw Marin drawn up and crying. He didn't know what had happened to do this, but his first instinct was to sit by her as he started to wrap his arms around her. 

On the trail, Steffan had his mount running at full pace, with Dilan close behind him as they were going up the trail as fast as they could. 

Other students had rushed down the corridor to Marin's door and only Bran and Koya parted the group and walked in to see Jarod holding her. "_Great Force_," Bran whispered as he saw the look in Marin's eyes. "What happened?"

Marin sat huddled on the bed, and her dark eyes were like the void that now filled her soul. She flinched when Jarod touched her, and she started to go for her knife before she realized who it was. She clung to him then, her hot tears soaking his sleep tunic as she cried into his shoulder. She didn't even notice the other students. She was still trying desperately to find... him. But she couldn't. As the fact settled in her brain, she sobbed harder.

There were more footsteps down the hall and Jarod could hear Master Karrde's voice calling the students to return to their quarters for the moment. He could hear Dilan's as well, making sure they did so as Steffan walked into the room. He was in his sleeping pants and a loose kimono of his Jedi attire, but his belt was on with the lightsaber riding low. 

"Marin," he said easily as he sat opposite of Jarod. "Marin, you need to tell me what you saw."

Slowly, Marin lifted her head from Jarod's chest. His light sleep tunic was now soaked through by her tears, and the tear streaks glistened across her cheeks. She tried to breathe, but it was as if a fist had closed around her heart. She was certain that Master Karrde had seen the look in her eyes. She took a few gasping breaths and tried to speak. She couldn't. She shook her head at him, and then seized his hand, dropping her shields. She barely had control.

Steffan brought his hand up slowly. "Marin, will you let me see?" he asked quietly.

She nodded wordlessly and clung to Jarod's hand with her left, her right closed over Master Karrde's. She took another breath, and Jarod could tell she was struggling to maintain control. After a couple more breaths, she nodded again, but her grip on Jarrod's hand didn't lessen.

Steffan gripped her hand and brought his other up to her head, gently placing his fingers against her cheek and forehead before he lowered his head...eyes closed. He sensed and went through the images that Marin had seen..._and when he got the explosion..._

"Master?" Bran asked as they all moved closer. Steffan had slumped from the feeling that entered his gut when he'd seen it. He slowly pulled his hand from Marin's head and looked off to the side of the bed, sorting through the images of what she'd seen.

"We have no way of knowing if this was real or a premonition," he quietly told her. "Do you understand that?"

Marin pulled away from him as if she'd been slapped. "It's real...." she gasped. "I can't feel him anymore... _at all._....." Her voice was hollow.

Before Steffan could say anything else, there was a beeping sound that started to go off in a certain pattern. He looked to Bran, who started to look around for it and reached over to Marin's belt hanging from the chair and drew her comlink out. As he held it out, it continued to beep in a distinct pattern. "What is it?" Bran asked.

"It almost sounds like a beacon call," Steffan said as he looked from the comlink to Marin.

Marin paled.... and then swore, using a word she never would have... one Jarius didn't know she knew. She fumbled with the small comlink as she took it from Bran, and her hands were shaking so badly she could barely hold the thing as she brought it to her eye level and stared at the small display. When she looked up at Master Karrde again, her eyes were swirling with a maelstrom of agony and anger. She hefted the device in her shaking fingers.

"This comlink was linked to one of _buir's_. It was programmed to activate should something happen to destroy its mate..." Her jaw hardened. "If that were to occur, his ship would lock onto the signal from the remaining comlink and go to wherever it was...."

"Could it be that just the comlink is damaged?" Bran asked, offering some glimmer of hope to her.

Marin shook her head. "_Nayc_...... see for yourself..." She tossed it to him, and it slapped solidly into his palm. It was denser and heavier than it looked. A combat model, one designed to take a beating. "It doesn't damage easily, as you can see.... and it would take a lot to destroy it..." she finished quietly.

Steffan listened to all of this silently before he started to stand up. "Dilan, Jarod, with me, please. Bran, Koya, stay here with Marin till we get back."

"Yes master," several of them said as he leaned over to give Marin a long hug before he started to walk down the corridor.

"Sensei," Jarod began to say as he caught up with him in the corridor. "I think that I need to stay there as well."

"And you will in a moment," Steffan told him as he turned around. "Jarod, I need you to keep a close eye on her. I do not know if you noticed, but there was anger in her eyes in there." 

"I felt it, master," Jarod said to him quietly. "I will watch over her."

"Good," Steffan said as he sent him along then looked to Dilan. "Stay up here and see to the other students as well. They're concerned for her as well with the way she had awakened."

"Yes sir," Dilan said as he began to move, then stopped for a moment. "Where are you going?"

"I'm returning to the house," his father told him as they walked down the corridor. "I need to get in touch with Xan or Ethan... or both. We need to find out where he was and what the _hell_ happened."

Marin heard their hushed conference in the hall, and her fingers curled into fists again. Oh, she tried to calm herself, but the flame that was her agony could not be extinguished so easily. She looked up again as Jarod came into the room.

The comlink was still in Bran's hands and Jarod reached out for it. "Will it keep homing even if I shut the alarm on it off?" he asked Marin as Bran handed it to him.

"As long as it's on...." she whispered, pulling it from Jarod's hand with the Force. When it thunked into her palm, she played with the controls for a moment, finally killing the screeching alarm. An indicator light still blinked insistently, but that was all. She stuffed it into a pocket, reaching for her weapons belt. Regardless of what Master Karrde had said, she couldn't just sit here. 

"Wait a second," Jarod began to say as she was reaching for her belt. "Marin, what are you doing?"

Marin looked at him and shook her head. "I....can't stay here, _Jar'ika_....." She almost choked when she said that, for it was the same affectionate form that Jarius' name had taken. She knew she still had clothes aboard Jarius' ship, so she didn't bother dressing. Instead, she buckled her weapons belt on over her sleep clothes, her fingers closing around the blaster on her left hip. "Please don't try and stop me....." She flicked her gaze to Bran and Koya also, before looking back at Jarod.

"Stop you?" Jarod asked as he came up close and held her. "Marin, this is no time for...." 

Marin looked up at him, the fingers of her free hand brushing his cheek. "I'm sorry..." she whispered. In one smooth motion, she drew the DE-10 and flicked the selector to stun before she flicked off the safety. She aimed the blaster at Koya and pulled the trigger. He was wreathed in a blue haze as he fell to the floor. She then did the same to Bran, even as the boy moved towards her. She fought against Jarod's grip, knowing that he was trying to calm her down. Turning back around, she jammed the blaster's emitter into his ribs. "Please don't make me do this....." she begged him.

Jarod looked into her eyes now, not bothering to keep the hurt in his from showing. With her blaster jammed against his ribs, he wouldn't have a chance to move and draw his saber to deflect any follow-up shots. But he still held his one hand on her, though she still fought his grip some. "Marin," he whispered softly, "don't do this... I don't want you to go down this path you're thinking."

Marin bit her lip, and tears glistened anew in her eyes as she looked up at him. "He was...... _my life._.... I have to do ... _something_....." She leaned up on her toes and kissed him tenderly, her left hand shaking slightly.

"I saw what flashed in your eyes," he said as he traced her cheek with his free hand. "This isn't a path I want you to take...one you don't want to go down...please Marin..."

Marin's lower lip quivered, and she closed her eyes for a moment at his touch. "I can't just sit here..... I need to know what happened.... His ship will have records....."

"Let Master Karrde see to this," Jarod told her. "He'll know how to handle this...you do this alone, you don't know where it may end..."

Marin sighed in exasperation. "It will take too long..." She pulled the comlink out and looked at it. The ship was getting close. She stuffed it back into her pocket as she looked up at him again. "I.... don't want to hurt you....." she whispered, tightening her grip on her blaster again as she pulled free of his grip. Tears traced down her cheeks because she could see how much it was hurting him.

"You're not leaving me much of a choice here," he finally told her.

"I'm sorry, Jarod....." she whispered, and she began to tighten her finger on the trigger, as her vision blurred from the tears.

Jarod could sense the tightening and the intent that Marin had to go down this path. He truly felt like he had no other options remaining as he called up a Force hammer to separate the two of them before she could fire. As soon as he landed opposite her, his silver blade was already alive in his hand. However, his thumb was down on a second button...he had fashioned his blade with a concept that he had seen in the notes Steffan had given him. The second button powered down the blade so that it would stun if needed and not cut.

Marin stumbled slightly as she was shoved away from him. She knew he'd be able to block her shots._ 'How could she get past him now?'_ She looked around the room, and then spied the open window. Shoving the DE-10 back into its holster, she pushed the window open further with the Force and jumped onto the windowsill. With one last look over her shoulder at Jarod, she closed down her presence... and leaped, arcing gracefully to the courtyard below.

Jarod was fully prepared to block her, but Marin's jumping out the window was as much a surprise to him as anything....until he couldn't feel her presence anymore. He knew Master Karrde had been instructing those that had the ability to hide their presence from others. And he wasted no time to shut down his blade and start running down the corridor. 

"What was that noise?" Dilan asked from the opposite side of the corridor as he saw Jarod running.

"Marin stunned Bran and Koya," Jarod said as he continued his sprint, Dilan following behind him now. "She's intent on finding out what happened and go after whoever's responsible on her own."

They both reached the courtyard and Jarod knew she could well be outside the walls of the praxeum now as he ran and leaped up to the wall. He stretched out his senses as far as he could and could not help but utter how he suddenly felt.

"_Marin!_" he yelled out into the night sky... the pain in his voice clear.

* * *

Marin stopped dead when she heard Jarod yell her name. The pain in his voice tore at her heart. But she turned away, and towards the sound of approaching ship engines. She knew that Jarius' ship wouldn't be stopped by the Cataani patrols. He was known here.

She continued through the forest for what seemed like hours, going on pure instinct. Suddenly above her, she felt the warm wash of the ship's repulsors. Pulling the comlink from her pocket, she pressed the button in a short sequence. The hatch slid open, and she leaped to it, palming it closed from the inside.

She stumbled to the cockpit, collapsing in the pilot's chair, and staring at the controls for a moment. Something in her gut told her she couldn't leave yet. Reaching for the navigation controls, she input the course for the clearing Ethan had used all those months ago. At least she'd be undisturbed there for a bit. Long enough to formulate a plan.

* * *

"Listen," Dilan said as he joined Jarod on the wall. Jarod closed his eyes and focused on his hearing for a long moment. 

"Engines," he said quietly. "Jarius' ship, perhaps?"

"Could be," Dilan said as he surveyed the landscape. "Too far away to see any kind of glow from the sublight engines. May be using repulsorlifts only to keep it out of sight."

"_Spast_," Jarod cursed as he kept looking. He wasn't going to stop on this. "Is there an extra horse here?"

"Just mine," the older Jedi answered as he tapped his shoulder to follow him. "But that doesn't mean we can't ride together. Come on, we need to tell father what's happened."

* * *

For a long moment, she stared out the transparisteel viewport, watching the bulky shadows of the forest pass by below. She was keeping low, only a couple hundred feet above the treetops to minimize her chances of being spotted. After several long minutes, the navigation board pinged. She'd reached the clearing. Cautiously, she studied the scanner, slowly easing the ship down to rest on its landing gear in the clearing. She could feel a faint pulse of worry from Jarod, and it brought hot tears to her eyes again.

She swiped the back of her hand across her eyes, leaving a damp streak across her cheeks as she rose. She walked slowly into the galley and started a pot of _behot_ before she went to her cabin. There, she stripped off her sleep clothes, laying her weapons belt on her bunk before she grabbed a towel and ducked into the 'fresher. The hot water washed away the salty tear streaks and the grime, but the pain was still there. She sighed heavily and leaned her head against the cool tile of the 'fresher stall. _Force, it hurt!_

_Like a sentence of death  
I got no options left  
I've got nothing to show now  
  
I'm down on the ground  
I've got seconds to live  
And you can't go now  
  
'Cause love like an invisible bullet shot me down  
And I'm bleeding, yeah, I'm bleeding  
And if you go, furious angels will bring you back to me  
Will bring you back to me  
  
You're a dirty needle  
You're in my blood and there's no curing me, yeah  
I wanna run like the blood from a wound  
To a place you can't see me  
  
'Cause love like a blow to the head has left me stunned  
And I'm reeling, yeah, I'm reeling  
And if you go, furious angels will bring you back to me  
  
You're a cold piece of steel between my ribs  
And there's no saving me, yeah  
And I can't get up from this wet crimson bed  
That you made for me, that you made for me  
  
'Cause love like a knife in the back has cut me down  
And I'm bleeding, yeah, I'm bleeding  
And if you go, angels will run to defend me  
To defend me  
  
'Cause I can't get up, I'm as cold as a stone  
I can feel the life fade from me, yeah  
I'm down on the ground, I've got seconds to live  
And what's that waits for me? Oh, that waits for me  
  
'Cause love like a sentence of death left me stunned  
And I'm reeling, yeah, I'm reeling  
And if you go, furious angels will bring you back to me_  
  
~ Rob Dougan - Furious Angel lyrics

* * *

"She did _what_?" Steffan asked as he turned around from where he had been looking out the window of his study, he was still trying to get in touch with Xan and Ethan. He was still in what he had thrown on earlier while Jade had already started caf for him and whoever else would be called upon for the situation. Catharine was still asleep, but Ryneas was up now and helping his mother with things in the kitchen.

"She drew her blaster and stunned Bran and Koya and held the weapon against me for the longest time before I pushed her away," Jarod told him. "Master, she's overcome with anguish...and anger... over what's happened to her father. I could not talk her down from finding out what happened and going on her own to find the ones responsible."

"Damn," was all Steffan whispered as he thought about it. "Any idea where she might have gone?"

"I have none," Jarod said, shaking his head. "She jumped out the window and shut down her Force presence. I couldn't track her."

"Father," Dilan said. "We thought we heard a faint sound of a ship's engines. Could Jarius's ship have covered the distance in that long a time?"

"We don't know what modifications he might have done to the ship's propulsion," Steffan told him. "What concerns me is two things. First, if its here this fast, how close could the Death Watch be if he was tracking them as he told me he was planning to do; and second, Marin's sudden decision to take the path of vengeance and how well she's been able to conceal herself from even you, son. Remain here and keep trying to get in touch with Master Qenadius and Ethan. Jarod, wait here for me to change and make ready, then we're going to find her."

* * *

After several long minutes, Marin shut off the spray, wrapping the fluffy towel around her middle as she walked barefoot back into her cabin. She pulled a clean coverall, socks, and underwear from the drawer, and dressed quickly before she stepped over to the far bulkhead, pressing her thumb to the reader hidden there. The panel slid aside as lights flickered on. Inside the hidden closet, rested a completed set of _beskar'gam_, in the same color and design as her partial set. There were also backup weapons and spare power packs.

She grabbed her boots, and pulled them on, lacing them up quickly before she pulled on an armored vest that had been specially designed for the plates to attach to. It kept the upper body armor snug against her. Then she started with the boot armor, strapping it on before she moved to the shin armor, and so on, until she began attaching the upper body armor to the vest. Next, she pulled on a close-fitting hood, to help keep her hair out of the way. After that, she stuffed a pair of black armored gloves into her belt as she stocked her belt pouches with fresh power packs for the DE-10's. With that done, she grabbed her _buy'ce_, and went back to the galley for her _behot_.

* * *

Steffan climbed up on his horse Sundancer and waited for Jarod to mount up before he took off at a fast pace towards the praxeum. When they reached there a short time later, Steffan had asked Jarod to point out which wall that Marin had gone over and they rode up to the spot. He stopped and closed his eyes, drawing on the tracking techniques he had known since he was young and started to get a sense of the direction Marin might have gone in. In her trial against Ethan, she'd done well to avoid detection as well as she had. But Ethan was not a fully trained and experienced Jedi Master, and Marin... though she had learned her lessons well and fast..was not one either. Steffan caught a glimpse through the Force and looked down along the line that felt the best route to take. 

"We're going to have to be careful, and we can't use the mounts," Steffan said as he dismounted and started to go along one of the trails, Jarod not far behind him. There were several game trails around, bare signs of some newer ones as well. She could have taken any one of them. Steffan started down in the direction he indicated to Jarod, his senses stretched out and alive as they started to search.

* * *

The back of Marin's neck prickled, making her reflexively reach for her blaster as she took one final swig of the warm liquid. Carefully, she set the mug down in the sink and pulled on her gloves, hefting the helmet in her fingers before she slipped it over her head. As she did so, she heard the faint hiss as the helmet sealed. Blinking twice, she activated the helmet's built-in uplink with the ship. Again, she felt that faint warning tingle. Someone was focusing on her. She closed down even tighter, sprinting back to the cockpit._ 'Could she get the ship off the ground before they got to her?' _

She frowned and shifted her eyes left, bringing up the security system. The clearing around the ship was clear of movement... for now... She increased the scanner range to the edge of the trees and locked down the outer hatches._ 'That ought to slow them down a little bit... But what of Ethan...? Where was he?'_


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen to Rob Dougan's "Furious Angel" during the chase. All music can be found by searching Youtube.

_"Father?"_

Steffan lifted up his wristcom and keyed the channel. "Were you able to reach them?"

_"Xan and Callista are going to be delayed, but Ethan can be in the system within the hour," _Dilan told him. _"What do I need to do?"_

Steffan thought about it for a few moments. _'How well did Jarius train Marin on how to fly and use the ship?' _ He had no way of answering that. If he had really wanted to, he could have used _Blue Talon_'s scanners to cover the entire forest in a fraction of the time, but he didn't want her to feel like she was being hunted... or even for the wrong reasons.

"Get Viper to prep Andrea's X-wing." he finally answered. "Lift the launchpad to the surface and be standing by for my signal. Contact Ethan again once he gets in-system and have him standing by in orbit around Catain. I'm not sure how he's going to respond to this, but I want him close if I need to bring him into play."

_"Yes, sir,"_ Dilan said and they cut the channel. 

"Any of this look familiar?" Steffan asked Jarod as they stopped to get their bearings.

"I believe it does, Sensei," Jarod answered, then closed his eyes and thought back. "She passed through here during her trial," he said as he pointed to an open area. "Around there is where she had used her knife on the wolfhound. I had come out here to retrieve it for her."

"I think I know where she might be then," Steffan said as he looked in the direction he was thinking. "Come on, we don't have much time."

* * *

Onboard Jarius' ship, Marin was carefully bringing the systems back online one at a time. She'd left the engines on standby, so they'd be ready to go if she needed them. Again, she checked the passive sensors. Something pinged on the long-range screen. There was movement, but it was slow.... as if whoever it was, was on foot. She swore. Not many people could track her that accurately. It had to be Master Karrde. Her gloved fingers curled into fists as she gazed out the viewport. If she was going to go, it had to be _now_.

Steffan held his hand out to pause Jarod. "She's powering up," Jarod said out loud, not bothering to keep quiet. She'd know someone was here already. 

"Come on," Steffan said as he broke into a run now.

"Dilan," he called on his wristcom. "Get airborne, _now_."

* * *

Marin swore under her breath, the tingle at the back of her neck turning into a silent scream of warning. She sat up, rubbing the back of her neck as she brought the engines out of standby, her finger hovering over the repulsorlifts as the scanners went active. The next second, she kicked in the repulsors, feeling the ship heave upwards. She cranked the repulsors to half, trying to clear the trees before she kicked in the sublight engines.

* * *

Dilan brought the old XJ3 model up smoothly from the landing pad and kicked in the sublight engines. He already had a navigational fix on Steffan's comlink and he followed the course towards the signal when his forward scanners started to pick up a ship coming up from the forests. 

Steffan reached the clearing as the ship was already rising above tree top level. He only had one other option, and it was a long shot as he thought about it, pulling a small disc from one of the small pouches of his belt and threw it with the full power of the Force to get it to attach onto the outer hull of the ship. Jarius would probably have detection gear onboard for just such a thing, but Steffan played every card he could right now.

"Dilan, I've placed a tracking beacon on the ship, but she's out of my range on the ground. Keep up with her, but do not assume an aggressive posture, understand?"

_"Copy that," _Dilan said as he kept the S-foils in cruise mode and switched his comm to an open frequency.

* * *

The security system warbled insistently, jarring Marin back to the present. She squinted at the readout that flickered across the HUD in her helmet._ 'A tracking beacon.....'_ And again... but this time it was a small craft, just now crossing the outer edge of her sensor envelope. The scanner identified it as an XJ class fighter. Her eyes narrowed. "Trying to herd me back home...?" she muttered under her breath, as she kicked the sublights to half, clearing the forest canopy as she pulled for space. It was strange though.... she wasn't reading active weapons on the XJ.... _why_?

"Don't do this," Dilan whispered as he threw the throttle to full and started to close on Marin's ship. "Viper, see if you can see what frequency she's on. I've got it on an open channel, but I don't want this to go out to everyone. Once you have it, send it to Ethan as well if he's in position."

[_Confirmed_] Viper told him as he worked on it. 

Dilan switched the channel over as he slowly closed in on the ship. "Marin, this is Dilan Karrde...do you read?"

Marin kept a steady grip on the flight controls, even as a com icon blinked insistently in the corner of her HUD. It was coming from the X-wing. She keyed the channel open, keeping a close eye on her sensor readout. "What do you want, Karrde....?" she asked, rather bluntly. She wasn't in the mood to talk. "Here to talk me down, are you?" She coaxed a little more out of the sublights, opening the gap a little as she climbed higher into the atmosphere, watching as it began to slowly give way to the utter blackness of space.

_"Well, your decision,"_ Dilan told her honestly. _ "Its either me or Ethan at this point."_

Marin blanched slightly. "As if it matters. I lost the one person who is everything to me..... I can't let that go unavenged.... They killed him simply because he wouldn't do what they wanted... he was nothing but a loose end to them..." Her voice was a low growl, but there was a hint of tears also. She side-slipped, trying to open the gap even more.

Dilan muted the channel for a moment, "Viper put everything you can into the engines." He then un-muted. "_Marin, I want you to think this through. Jarius was a well-trained Mandalorian and a Cataani Marine... you are not in any condition to face them alone."_

Marin swallowed. There was a long silence on her end of the channel as she pondered that. "I can't let his death go un-avenged, Karrde...." she whispered. She yanked hard on the flight controls, rolling her ship off Dilan's course as she pulled away from Cataan.

_"And I never said you had to,"_ Dilan told her calmly as he matched her move for move. But it wasn't his voice that chimed in next. _"But now won't be the time."_

_"I should say it better not be,"_ Ethan's voice called in. _"By the gods, dalyc, I'm not going to be saddled with burying __**both**__ of you."_

Marin flinched as if Ethan had slapped her. She opened her mouth to respond, but then closed it. There was another long silence as Marin side-slipped again, keeping an eye on her sensor screen. Dilan was... pacing her. And she spotted Ethan's _Firespray_ just off her starboard as he closed in on her course from behind Catain.

_"You're not ready for this yet, kid," _Ethan told her. _ "You may have outfoxed me, but there are more of them... a __**lot**__ more."_

"_Et'ika_..... I can't.... can't let this go......" she choked out. Even over the comm channel that pure pain in her voice was clear. It felt like her heart had been shattered. She dropped below their flight path, looping beneath them. The sublights were maxed out, and she didn't dare to try to coax any more out of them_._

_"Mar'ika,"_ Ethan told her. _ "We're not going to let this go..but if you go out like this right now, on pure cussedness and anger...you going to go down a path Jarius had already gone down. And its one you have no business walking; your heart knows that."_

Marin bit her lip hard enough to taste the metallic flavor of blood as she tried to keep from sobbing. She rolled ship again, pushing the sublight controls wide open again as she headed around the other side of Catain.

_"Pincer her, Karrde,"_ Ethan said as he stayed behind Marin's ship. Dilan curved and started to swing around the other side of the moon. The concern on Dilan's mind at this point was that this chase was going to get the Defense Force's attention. _Valkyrie_'s Third Battlegroup was in the system for refit and crew leave, and all of their ships were at dock around Catain, and her fighter squadrons on the moon's surface bases. 

Marin swallowed her grip tight on the flight controls. Her sensor board pinged, and she swore, rolling to port as she saw what lay on the other side of Catain. She did _not_ want to tangle with the Defense Force, _not now_. She came out of the roll, leveling off onto a new flight path as she pulled away from the moon.

_"Alright,"_ Ethan said as he painted Marin's ship in the crosshairs for a moment. _"Turn the ship around now and I might just go easy on what else I've got to say."_

Marin paled behind her_ buy'ce_ as the target lock alarm sounded in her ears. She swore under her breath, feeling sweat trickle down her scalp under her hood as she weighed her chances. She flexed her fingers for a moment, weighing her options before she rolled ship away from the target lock.

_"Blast it, dalyc,"_ Ethan said as he inverted, adjusted his angle some and painted her again. _"There is nothing than you can do. You go this route and there's no clue to what kind of trouble you're going to find yourself in, do you understand me?!"_

Marin cursed in frustration, knowing she couldn't evade either of them forever. They were better pilots than she was, and she knew she was too close to Catain's gravity well to risk engaging the hyperdrive. She side-slipped again, knowing she was just delaying the inevitable.

Ethan was shaking his head at the stubbornness she was showing now. _"Alright,"_ he mumbled quietly as he applied five degrees of port thrusters._ "If this is what it takes...."_ He applied a little more from the port thrusters and waited till his crosshairs were several meters from the ship when he fired two rounds off her starboard.

Marin swore, and rolled ship away from the shots..... but that took her back _towards_ Cataan. She slammed her fist into the control console, well clear of any controls. It only made her feel _slightly_ better.

Ethan stayed behind her and kept his finger lightly on the trigger. _ "Now,"_ he started to grumble. _"Are you going to finally listen to those of us who actually know what we're talking about or do I have to aim a little closer?"_

Marin swallowed audibly. She sighed and then swore softly, loosening her grip on the flight controls slightly. She moved out of his line of fire, but it was slower this time.

_"What was that? I didn't hear you..."_ he said over the comm as he pulled up just behind and to her port side.

Marin was sweating now, she could feel it trickling the back of her neck. "_Naas_...." she said quietly, making sure her weapons were still offline. She only wanted to lay the hurt on those people who had killed her father... no one else.

_"Now, I know what you're wanting to do to those people,"_ Ethan told her. _"But we do it when you're ready...and you're ready when __**I**__ say you're ready. Understand?"_

"_Elek, Et'ika_...." was her quiet response. The anger was still there, as was the agony.

_"Now, Dilan is going to form up on your port bow,"_ he said to her. _"Master Karrde already activated the beacon for their landing pad. We are __**all**__ going down and landing there... then we are __**all**__ going to have a discussion."_

Marin swallowed.... _hard_. Something about the way he said that made her wary. "Understood...." was all she said, her voice quiet as she oriented her ship towards the beacon.


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen to Apocalyptica's "Farewell" while reading the praxeum scenes. All music can be found by searching Youtube.

With one eye, Marin watched the scanner readout in her HUD, as she kept her fingers firm on the flight controls. With her right hand, she punched in the coordinates for home. She wouldn't be landing at the house. They'd know to check there. She had tuned out Ethan minutes ago as she evaded him yet again.

Finally, she reached the edge of the Cataan system and pressed the commit key on the navicomp, sending the _Tracinya_ hurtling into hyperspace. In the back of her mind, she knew that it wouldn't be long. She had to do something about that tracking device. She let her eyes fall closed, reaching out to where she knew the device was attached to the hull. She'd done this with locks before... but tracking beacons were slightly different.

Beads of sweat stood out on her forehead as she traced the wiring in the Force until she found the right connection.. and severed it. There was a faint pulse, and then the security panel fell silent. It wouldn't stop them for long, but it would at least slow them down.

She opened her eyes and stood, making her way back to her quarters where she grabbed a few more power packs for her DE-10's. With that done, she sank back into the pilot's chair, idly playing with her knives for a moment before she began to sharpen them.

* * *

"What the...." Dilan said as he looked over his scanners on the customized XJ's right panel. "I've lost her tracking signal?"

_"Out of range?" _Ethan asked from the old _Firespray_.

"No, I should be able to detect her from at least half a dozen systems away on this fighter's scanners," the young Jedi told him. "She must've found a way to shut it off..."

_"Can you send me the coordinates?"_ Andrea asked from her father's computer in his study.

"Sending the course she took," Dilan said as he aimed the tip of the fighter down her path and transmitted the course heading.

_"That takes her to the Tanagis system," _Andrea's voice came back a few moments later.

"_Haar'chak_," Ethan cursed in _Mando'a_. "She's heading for home...then that's where I'm heading too."

"Give me the navcom heading," Dilan said as he started to warm up his hyperdrive. "I'm going in with you."

* * *

Marin's head came up as she felt a faint warning tingle. _'They're following...'_ She cursed silently and closed down even tighter. _'Should've known it wouldn't be that easy....'_ She could feel the anger welling up in her again. _'Why can't they just leave me alone?!' _

Carefully, she slipped her knives back into their sheaths, including the one in her boot. The control board pinged. The _Tracinya_ was coming up on the Tanagis system. She watched the countdown, pulling the lever to drop her back into realspace. She'd have to be quick. She needed to find where the _Tracinya_ had been last. Her frown deepened. It was going to be close.

Her fingers closed firmly over the flight controls as she guided the_ Tracinya_ down through the atmosphere, bypassing the hangar. They'd most likely check there first. She kept low, only a few hundred meters above the forest canopy, until she carefully lowered the ship into a clearing several kilometers from the house.

* * *

Ethan and Dilan entered the system and Ethan immediately began to head for the hangar with Dilan following close behind. The Jedi had hoped that the signal from the tracking beacon would return once he got into the system, but knew it was a foolish hope as he checked his scanners and saw nothing. _"Which place is it?"_ he asked Ethan on the channel that the Mando had selected for their hunt.

"Outer planet's forest moon," Ethan said. "I'm keeping the location of the house to myself...least I can do for Jarius as this point. "Just go down into the atmosphere and start doing some close range scans. I doubt she would have gone straight to the house, but I'm going down to check it out anyway."

_"Copy that,"_ Dilan said as he nosed the black XJ-3 down and had the astromech start scanning the forest floor below.

* * *

The sensor board pinged, making Marin study the HUD feed closely. Two ships had just dropped out of hyper and were heading straight for the moon... and fast. She knew Ethan's _Firespray_. The XJ-3 could only be Dilan. With a curse, Marin punched in a command to the navicomp and began scanning the database. Two minutes later, she had her answer. The outer Cataani colony world of Galan. It would only take a few hours to get there. If she blasted off now, they'd know where she was. She didn't care. Her shattered heart demanded vengeance. Carefully, she began to bring the repulsors out of standby.

* * *

Viper beeped once and Dilan read the message as his scanners started to pick it up. _"Ethan, I've got her....powering up her repulsorlifts, she's fixing to get ready to take off again."_

"I'm on my way, keep her pinned if you can by any means, Dilan."

Dilan took that one way...he had to, reaching up as he did a split-s and came around on a heading towards the signal to flip a switch. As the XJ leveled out, the S-foils split to give the fighter the shape that was its namesake. 

* * *

Marin felt that warning tingle again just before the sensor board picked up the XJ closing fast. She swore, punching the shields to full as she engaged the repulsors, feeling the _Tracinya_ leap upwards. A thought began to form in her mind. She didn't have the control over the Force that Dilan had, but maybe she could slow him down. As she cleared the canopy, she kicked in the sublights, but only to half. She wanted him to catch up if this was going to work.

Dilan looked and could see that he was slowly starting to gain ground on the Tracinya and he could feel a small nudge in the Force warning him. What would she try to pull to keep him off of her? "Viper," he asked the R7 snuggled in behind him. "I didn't look, but what are we loaded with?"

[Proton torpedos on port and starboard tubes] Viper answered immediately. [Center tube loaded with shadow bombs]

Dilan nodded at that as he set his weapons select to stutter-fire his lasers. The torpedo loading was standard on the X-wing, but they would be overkill on the mission profile he had right now...especially the shadow bombs.

"Alright, Marin," he whispered as he kept track of her ship on the HUD. "Come on and head back for the praxeum... I can out-maneuver, outrun and outgun you, there's no use in this."

Marin was watching her own HUD closely. He was almost on top of her. Gritting her teeth, Marin waited a few moments longer until he was almost directly above her. And then she moved. Her finger stabbed towards the repulsorlift controls. They were still close enough to the ground that it should work.

The repulsors kicked in, shoving the _Tracinya_ upwards... Her shields collided with those of the X-wing. Marin watched, a small satisfied grin crossing her face as she saw the small craft wobble, and watched the interference between the two sets of shields before she pulled clear.

"What in the...." Dilan almost yelled as he felt the XJ bump around and pulled back on the stick to give some more distance above her, but saw the YT-1930 gain a little bit of space ahead of him from the tactic. "Viper, how bad are we hurt?"

[Initializing circuits for the dorsal shield generators shorted from the impact.] he saw on the interface. [Will take a few moments to reset the system and get the shields back up.]

Dilan gritted his teeth at the move but nodded slightly at the tactic. Jarius's ship, naturally, would have stronger shields than the XJ3 more than likely...and would have faired the collision better than the fighter would.

"So, that's the name of the tune, is it?" he said as he checked his lasers and brought the crosshairs over as close to the ship as he dared. "Then let's see if you can pay the band...." He pulled the trigger for a few moments and saw the blue lasers stutter in towards the ship..coming close enough that Dilan would have been surprised if he didn't scorch some of the paint with a few of his shots. 

Marin's danger sense screamed. She rolled to port away from the shots, but she wasn't fast enough. The _Tracinya_ shook, and Marin's grip on the flight controls tightened as she leveled off again. She looked to the left, bringing up the firing controls for the quads. Powering them up, she zeroed in on Dilan's X-wing, making sure her shot went a little wide. She was trying to warn him off. She squeezed off a shot, and it passed mere inches from his canopy.

"Sons of the Sith..." Dilan said as he dropped the X-wing down underneath the Tracinya's flight path and he pitched the ship up just enough and started to stutter-fire again, this time right in her path.

_"Where the hell are you?"_ he heard Ethan asked over the channel.

"Look for the laser fire and see for yourself," Dilan responded as he kept track of Marin.

Marin swore, yanking hard on the flight controls as she rolled to starboard, opening up with the quads again. She could feel sweat trickling down her neck as she let the crosshairs settle on him a moment, nudging her aim just slightly, so it barely missed him.

He felt the shot coming and put the XJ on its end and side slipped upwards to bring the fighter above her shots, making her miss wide and sent a pair of low powered shots into the aft shields to give her something to think about.

"_Fierfek..._" Marin breathed as she felt his own shot connect, jolting her forward against her crash webbing. She was seething now. Snapping the _Tracinya_ up on her side, she pulled around to follow him. The X-wing was fast, and she found it hard to keep him in her sights for long.

Dilan switched channels as he kept weaving around. He was staying out of her firing arch as much as he could, but keeping his weapons on her ship near constantly. _"Okay,"_ he told her on an open channel. _"So far, I've only used the stutter fire...not much against your shields, probably. But you land or head back to Cataan __**now**__ or I start switching to dual- or quad-fire."_

Marin ignored him, rolling free of his target lock again as she tried to open the distance between them.

He shook his head as he cut the channel and thought about his options now...

[Shields restored] Viper announced to him...giving him his plan of attack. 

"Put rear shields at full power and put everything into acceleration," Dilan said as he suddenly firewalled the throttle.

The XJ3 short forward with all the speed that the astromech put into the engines and quickly overshot the _Tracinya_. Dilan waited until he was a decent distance from Marin and switched his lasers to quad-fire. He knew it would set his lasers to fire at the same time and at full power. "Viper...." he said as he timed it right. "Shift everything to the forward shields on my mark."

[Acknowledged...standing by]

"Three....two...one....._mark_!"

Dilan pulled a smuggler's reverse as Viper threw everything into the shields to cover the point of the fighter as Dilan popped a snapshot with all four lasers that went just underneath the _Tracinya's_ bow and barely missed the ship.

Marin swore, pulling back sharply on the flight controls as a warning alarm sounded in her helmet. She snapped off a shot towards him, not even checking to see if it connected before she rolled clear.

Dilan barely noticed the hits his shields took, rotating the fighter around as she flew over him and pressed on after her. Viper evened the shields out and Dilan switched back to stutter fire and popped shots off in different directions, each time coming close to her ship. 

A few moments later, Ethan joined up behind them both and started to see how he could possibly get in to see if he could make any difference in this or not...Marin was being the most stubborn that he'd ever seen her...

She saw the _Firespray_ on her scanners and swore. Ethan's ship was designed for this type of thing. After a slow breath and a few sideslips, she pushed the sublights for full as she started pulling towards the atmosphere.

"She's going to make for hyperspace again," Dilan said as he looked at his system readouts. "She hits hyperspace again, I'm not going to be able to follow her. I'm almost to the point where I'm going to need to head back or get stuck here."

_"Well, I've got the ability to keep up with her for a while...."_ Ethan said as he started to bracket the 1930 in his crosshairs. 

Dilan looked to the _Tracinya_ and noticed that there was a shadow starting to form on the ship...and it was growing larger by the moment. It caught him by surprise and looked up to see...._'holy....'_

Steffan brought _Blue Talon_ in its flight mode in over the three ships, making sure that the shadow of the mobile suit completely covered the 1930 and that it got Marin's attention. 

_"Dilan, break for home, you're almost out of fuel,"_ he said calmly over the channel as he came in lower on top of the _Tracinya_. _"Ethan, hang back and be ready to land on my signal."_

_"You got it,"_ Ethan said as he pulled back in the _Firespray._

"On the way out," Dilan said as he pulled the XJ3 off and started to make it towards space and a hyperspace vector to return home.

Marin noticed something strange, a large shadow forming on the trees below, and falling over the _Tracinya_. She glanced at her sensor board, and the out the cockpit viewport, swearing. "What in the _Manda_ is that...._thing_......?!" she whispered to herself, the sight of it sent chills down her spine.

Steffan kept _Blue Talon_ over the _Tracinya_, keeping her from leaving the atmosphere as he opened the channel. _"Marin," _he told her in a calm, even voice. _"Will you listen to __**me**__?"_

Marin sat there, her gaze locked on the mobile suit as she stared up at it through the cockpit armorplast. Her hand was shaking badly as she reached for the comm panel to her left. "_Me....me'copaani...?_" she asked bluntly, but her voice was shaking.

_"I want you to turn the ship around,"_ he told her softly. _"Take her into the hangar and wait there for Ethan and I. Okay?"_

Marin's first thought was to refuse. But then her gaze drifted upwards again. Whatever that... _thing_ was, she knew she couldn't possibly outrun both of them. She choked back a sob of frustration and anger as she slowly pulled away from the large craft, and towards the_ Firespray_. Her hand was shaking as she hesitated a moment before killing power to the quads.

The _Tracinya's_ speed was much slower as she complied, orienting the 1930's nose towards the house. When she reached it, she cut power to the shields and input the passcode Jarius had taught her. After a few moments, the hangar entrance lay open before her, and she carefully guided the T_racinya_ inside on repulsors. The ship settled to the permacrete with a gentle bump, coolant hissing as the engines powered down.

Ethan pointed the _Firespray_ towards the hangar and slowly started to guide the ship in. Steffan brought _Blue Talon_ close but did not land just yet, as there was no room for the mobile suit in its flight mode. Instead, he reached above him and flipped the controls over. _Blue Talon_ slowly switched to its mobile suit mode with its engines gently landing the craft on the ground around the house. There was still some distance and so Steffan 'walked' the suit closer to the hanger before he started to power down the suit.

He opened the cockpit hatch and stepped on the armored outdoor and looked down into the hangar as Ethan finished landing the Firespray down before he grabbed the zipline that came out from its panel in the suit's armor and started to ride it down to the ground.

Marin sat still for a long moment, her hands shaking. Finally, she rose and made her way slowly towards the _Tracinya's_ boarding ramp.

Steffan went into the hangar about the time that Ethan came out of the ship and started towards where he was standing near the _Tracinya_. The elder Jedi could tell that Ethan was fuming inside from this.

"Ethan..." he started to say. 

"No...." the Mando interrupted as he saw the boarding ramp starting to lower. "No...no emotion speech right now. You can chide me later." As soon as he knew his head would clear it, he jumped onto the boarding ramp before it was finished lowering.

Marin saw him coming..... _Shassa_, she could_ feel _his anger. She backed away from the hatch control, trying to put some distance between them. She never seen him so angry, and it scared her. Her hand slipped down to one of her knives on pure reflex.

"_Drop that knife!_" Ethan yelled as he closed the distance as a fast clip. Before she could even comply, he batted the blade away and heard it hit the bulkhead hard as he started to lead her down the ramp and to the hangar floor. Steffan shot him a warning glance but he ignored it for the moment as he got her to the floor. 

"Just what the _frell_ were you thinking, taking us on this wild bantha chase?" he asked her as soon as he got off the boarding ramp.

Marin struggled in his grip, sobbing as she looked away from him. It was slightly muffled by her helmet. She shook her head at him, trying to pull free of his grip before she swung at him with a closed fist, aiming for his throat.

Ethan saw the swing coming and, out of reflex, caught it in his other hand and held his grip tight. "_Dalyc'ika_" he told her as he held her with both hands firmly. "This is you only warning, the next time you swing at me with that intent, you best be ready to face the consequences of the fight you'll get. Off with your helmet, _now_!"

"Ethan..." Steffan started to say again. "Release her."

"I will not..." Ethan began to say before he felt Steffan firm hand on Ethan's wrist. 

"Mando," the Jedi said to him firmly. "She is weakened emotionally right now. You and I are the closest ones that she has for a mentor right now. This is not what she's needing.....release her, _now_."

Ethan reluctantly released his grip on her and backed up to the boarding ramp as Steffan put himself between them and kept his eyes on Ethan before he looked over to Marin. "Marin," he told her softly. "Take off your helmet....now, please."

Marin looked sideways at Ethan, stumbling slightly when he released her abruptly. Her gaze slid back toward Master Karrde, and she just looked at him for a moment before she reached up with shaking hands to pop the seal on her helmet with a hiss of air. She pulled it off, revealing her face: the red, puffy eyes, and the tear streaks across her cheeks. She wasn't sure what to expect from either of them. Least of all Ethan.

Steffan looked back towards Ethan and motioned for him to go up the ramp into _Tracinya_ and waited until he was out of view before he turned and knelt in front of Marin. He could see the obvious signs that she had been crying during the entire affair and reached to wipe some of the latest tears away and send a comforting feeling to her as he did so. "I am not angered," he told her truthfully. "But I need you to tell me what possessed you to try and seek vengeance on your own."

Marin bit her lip and looked away from him, studying some of the lubricant stains on the permacrete. "I.... don't know..." she said after a moment, her fingers curling into fists. "He..... was all that I had... and I didn't even get to see him that much...." she tried to hold back another sob as she remembered how angry she'd been at him a few days before.

Steffan felt it and did not understand it completely yet, but knew where it could go. "Marin, listen to me carefully. It is very important that you don't give in to that anger, do you understand?"

Marin looked back at him. "You... you don't get it. He promised! He said he'd be here... and then he just..._leaves!_ I got angry..... and screamed at him.... and still he left..." She turned away, sobbing as she remembered that cold, sinking feeling she'd had. Somehow, she'd known.

"I _do_ get it," Steffan said as he got up and walked up behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "And I also get the turmoil that is going on in your heart right now. You angered at him for his leaving...angered at his death and you're wanting to take it out on those responsible. If you do that with the malice that you're feeling, you're going to start down a dark path just as your father did. I don't know if he spoke with you about the things that he did when he went down that road or not."

"Not... really.." Marin shrugged. "Bran told me more about that than _Buir_ ever did...." Her tone was slightly bitter.

"There may have been a reason for that," Steffan told her. "Your father did a lot of things that we would normally consider terrible. He did not just kill the ones he hunted for his wife and child's death. Jarius hurt them severely before he killed them, put them through things that only a few people do. Marin, it scarred him inside."

He turned her around and knelt to where they were more eye to eye again. "When Ethan and I finally found him and turned him back from what he was doing, the remorse he felt for the things he had done almost overwhelmed him. It drove him to the point that he felt like he could not live because he felt that he had dishonored himself so greatly with his actions."

He looked at her wanting her to understand. "He buried that pain and anguish deep inside, Marin, for that reason. And that is probably why he never spoke of it much openly to you."

Her shoulders slumped and she looked away from him, trying to bring her anger under control. It wasn't easy. Part of her.... _liked_ it.

He sensed it too and could see it burning inside. "Marin, he wouldn't want you to experience what he felt after going through that."

She tensed and looked away guiltily, not wanting to admit that she liked how it had felt.

Steffan just kept looking at her as he knelt there, waiting.

Marin squirmed uncomfortably under his gaze, her face heating as she tried to pull away.

Steffan let go...he wasn't going to force the situation, but let her talk when she was ready..with his gaze still on her.

She shrugged out of his grip and moved away. Not like she had anywhere she could go. Ethan was between her and the controls of the_ Tracinya_... and that.. _thing_ was between her and.... what? Not freedom... She shivered involuntarily and sank down on the edge of _Tracinya's_ boarding ramp, sensing Ethan in the lounge area. She wanted so much for both of them to just go away.

Ethan had overheard their words and saw her sit on the boarding ramp. "We'll be here long as it takes for you to talk," he told her. "I'm a patient person....and the Jedi there is way more patient than I am."

Marin cringed as if Ethan had slapped her, wrapping her arms around her knees as she stared unseeing at the permacrete under her boots.

Steffan walked down a ways towards the end of the hangar and sat down with his legs crossed and looked out over the forests outside. It would take some time for this to be resolved, he was sure of that now and he pulled out his flute as he started to lower himself into the Force to meditate on how to comfort her. As he went into it, the song started to come slowly from the flute at his lips...slowly, and mournfully at first, but he let the Force take his thoughts and the music as he started to meditate.

Marin's head came up in surprise. _That music......_ It pulled at her very soul and brought fresh tears to her eyes. She drew her knees closer and buried her face in her arms, just listening. The only sound now was the soft notes if the flute and Marin's sobbing. She could feel the music trying to soothe her, but to part of her... it _hurt_. She could feel a small part of her screaming in silent agony at the sound.

The music continued on, Steffan knowing the effect it was having on her, but it was as the Force willed it. He did not control it and so let it go on as he opened himself up more, letting himself soak in the energies as he played.

Her grip around her knees tightened. If she hadn't been wearing armor, she probably would have drawn blood. And she did. She could taste the metallic flavor of blood on her lower lip.

Ethan heard the music and it was touching to him as well as he got up from the seat and leaned against the bulkhead with his eyes closed. Steffan continued his meditation until he started to feel the music coming to a close. When he felt the Force releasing him, he held the final note there for moments then let it fade away into the noises of the forest around them. He lowered the flute but stayed sitting there with his eyes closed, still in thought as he faced the forests outside the hangar.

Marin sat there for a long time, tears tracing down her cheeks as she listened to the notes. her questing fingers pulled Jarius' tags from beneath her armor, and she clung to them, whispering something under her breath in _Mando'a._

Steffan finally opened his eyes and looked at the sun starting to set over the mountain range in the distance...it would be nightfall here sooner than he thought. 

"Marin," he called to her as he sat there watching. "Would you sit with me?"

Slowly, Marin lifted her head from where she'd been resting it on her arms. At his question, there was a brief nervous thought of Ethan... and of what Steffan had to say. After a moment, she rose stiffly to her feet and made her way slowly to him, her gaze to the permacrete.

He was singing softly, in the old Cataani, as she approached and gestured for her to sit down as he finished the chant. 

Marin sank slowly to the cool permacrete again, staring out into the swiftly-gathering darkness beyond the hangar. She could hear the sounds of various creatures as they called to each other.

"If you are able," he started to tell her softly as they sat there. "Take in all the sights..the sounds...watch the sunset and see if you are able to at least partially clear your thoughts."

She hiccuped, and tensed slightly, but nodded after a moment. She let her eyes fall closed, but there was a tense set to her shoulders as she sat there. She shifted a bit uncomfortably. Being here brought forth too many memories..... She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to breathe through the sudden flash of anger and shame she felt regarding how she'd last spoken to her father.

"Remember the calming technique you were taught," he told her. "Breath deeply and hold it....when you release, let it all out with your exhale."

Marin swallowed, and tried to do as he directed. It wasn't easy. It felt like something was catching in her lungs as she tried to breathe, and it sent her into a coughing fit.

Steffan felt it and reached out in the Force to help steady her as they sat there when her fit ceased he continued to reach out to her and help her as he himself continued through the calming technique.

Marin sat there gasping for a few moments until her breathing evened out. Slowly, she began to focus on the technique. She almost started coughing again before it evened out and she started to breath more slowly.

"That's it," he told her as he continued to watch the sunset. "Just let it go."

She couldn't help the sob that welled up as she breathed out, and she felt it echo slightly through the hangar. _Force, it hurt_.

"It will for some time," Steffan said as they sat there. "Would you prefer to talk here after a while or would you feel better in my study?"

Marin shrugged. "Doesn't matter, I suppose..." she said softly, looking down at her hands before she sucked at her bottom lip.

He nodded softly as he watched the last of the sun reaching the mountains. "If you feel well enough, I will fly your ship and you may sit with me while Ethan follows us."

"What about..._that_....?" she asked, pointing with her chin towards the strange craft blocking the hangar entrance.

Steffan nodded. "_Blue Talon _will follow along with us once I give it the proper commands from my wristcomm. It would not be the first time I've piloted the mobile suit by remote."

Marin shivered involuntarily as she looked up at it. But then she remembered reading about something that was similar. The ancient _bes'uliike_ \- the basilisk war droid used by the Mandalorians centuries ago. This... mobile suit didn't look very much like them, but she felt it could do quite a bit of damage. She tensed a little at the mention of Ethan. She could feel that he was still quite upset.

Steffan looked back towards the _Tracinya_ and nodded. "He'll....take some time before he cools off. He remembers all too well what happened. He doesn't want to see you down that path, though his method for showing his concern is too..."

Marin flinched, dreading whatever discussion she and Ethan might have later.

"Come," he said softly as he got up. "This might be better served in my study with tea and _behot_."

A smile tried to tug at the corner of her mouth as she climbed stiffly to her feet. She still couldn't quite bring herself to look up at him, instead she turned her attention to studying the damage to the _Tracinya_

Steffan stopped and watched her. "Dilan told me he mostly hit the shields only."

She nodded wordlessly and climbed the boarding ramp, feeling her shoulders tense as she walked past Ethan and towards the cockpit. She could feel his gaze follow her, but she ignored it for the moment, slipping into the copilot's chair.

"I'll fly _Tracinya_," Steffan told him. "Follow along behind us and we're going to continue this in my study."

Ethan only nodded and grunted as he walked down the ramp. Steffan waited for him to get clear before he closed it and locked it down. That done, he walked into the cockpit, tapping instructions for _Blue Talon_ into his wristcom before he started the ship's engines.

Marin sighed, her helmet clicking against her thigh plate as she drew her knees up. For a long moment, she just stared out the armorplast canopy.

Steffan looked at her. "Would you want a few hours to rest?"

She shrugged. "I guess."

"Go on ahead," he said with a smile. "Wouldn't have been the first time I've piloted this ship."

Marin seemed to consider that for a moment before she nodded and rose, moving slowly down the port-side ring corridor, and to her cabin.


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen to "Dha Werda Verda" while reading the scene where Xan and Callista receive Steffan's message. All music can be found by searching Youtube.
> 
> KYR'TSAD! GAR TALE CUYIR NER! - Death Watch! Your blood (plural) is mine!

The cockpit of the _Par'jila_ was rather quiet as the ship pulled away from Tattooine's gravity well and prepared to make the jump to hyperspace. What they found.... had been disturbing at best. Just as they were calculating the jump, the comm warbled with an incoming message.... but this one was preceded by the emergency tone. Callista traded a look with Xan as she keyed the channel open.

Xan was grumpier then usual after the search on Tattooine yielded nothing but empty leads and thousands of _peggats_ in bribes that only amounted to keeping the Hutts from getting interested. A priority comm from Cataan did nothing to brighten his mood. "If this is another wild nerf chase Karrde, you can stuff it crossways! Tattooine you said. Sure, good news from Tattooine if you are looking for odds on the Boonta Eve!" he growled.

Callista shook her head. "Xan..... something's happened... but I'm not sure what..." she trailed off as Steffan's face appeared.

Steffan's face showed the hurt the comment made as he looked from Xan to Callista on his side of the channel. _ "A lot worse than that, actually," _he told them somberly. _"I don't know where...but Jarius was killed."_

Callista gasped and swore. _Well... at least that explained the slightly sick feeling she'd had for the last little bit._ "When?...... And Marin..?"

Xan's face ran through a gauntlet of emotions before assuming a waxy-like appearance. "How?" he asked quietly, nearly death-like_._

_"It happened earlier this morning," _Steffan told them. _"Marin and I both felt it in the Force. Being his daughter, she was able to see images of it happening. She's shared them with me and it looks like he was caught in a trap...by Death Watch. As for where," _he continued. _"It had to be have been close to Cataan because apparently his ship was set to automatically home in on Marin's comlink. It arrived here within a few hours."_

Callista looked to Xan. She could see it in his eyes as he processed that. "_Kyr'tsad_.." she whispered, remembering what Steffan had told her. "And.... where is Marin...?" she asked carefully.

_"She's safe on Cataan for now," _he told them. _ "But I will tell you that she almost went on the warpath. If Ethan hadn't been close by, she might have jumped out of the system before I could get in touch with you."_

Callista closed her eyes briefly before she looked to Xan. "_Cyar'ika_...?" she asked, sensing his mind was elsewhere at the moment.

Xan's eyes flashed but his tone was still even, though he looked absolutely murderous. "I don't know the Cataani system as much as I'd like. Any worlds that are more used to smugglers and riff-raff mingling in with a native population?"

Steffan thought about it a moment. _"Not in Cataan's home system itself....but one of the outer colonies has seen smuggler traffic before. Ethan is here with me and we could be there within two hours if you think that is where we need to be to start looking for where it happened."_

Xan was warring with his emotions but knew the more people to search, the better. "We'll need the extra eyes, I think...." He grew quiet for a moment though as though he was forcing himself to keep calm. "But when we find something, I want the first crack."

_"I knew I would get that answer,"_ Steffan told him. _"I'll have Dilan check on Marin right now, then we'll start making our way."_

Callista looked over at Xan, her forehead creasing slightly before it smoothed over. She could feel the faint shift in his emotions. She laid her hand on his arm for a moment before she checked the navigation console. "We can be there in.... four hours..... if I push the hyperdrive to the limits..."

"Do it. Vengeance must be taken now!" he growled out. "Four hours, Karrde, we'll be there."

_"I have to ask,"_ Steffan added. _"I'm not sure if Marin coming with us will be a good choice, but I'll ask your opinion as she walks the path that you do."_

Xan was unable to answer properly, his anger clearly getting the best of him at the moment.

Callista squeezed Xan's shoulder for a moment before she answered. "How is she... Do you think she can remain focused, given what's just happened?"

His sigh was a heavy one but he nodded. _"Ethan and I talked with her in my study once we got her back,"_ he told her. _"I think she will be okay with strength of numbers, especially having you two and Ethan there. She and Dilan can fly with Ethan... given our enemy here, I'll go in Blue Talon."_

Callista nodded. "Agreed. And I'll do what I can once we get there...." She grew quiet for a moment as if she were trying to reign in her own emotions. "I know what it's like to lose someone, too..." She looked back up at Steffan's image. "She'll need that understanding... so I think that's a good choice."

_"We'll be there sooner than you will, so we'll hang back and wait."_

"Understood." was Callista's reply as she nodded and cut the comm.

Xan was still not in the frame of mind to respond. But he was beginning to hum a tune. One that usually promised bad things to an enemy. He didn't even notice the comm being cut. "First blood..."

The tune sent chills up Callista's spine, and she glanced sideways at him as she busied herself with finalizing the jump calculations. "_Xan'ika_...."

* * *

Steffan cut the comm on his end and looked over to Ethan. "I'll prep the ship," Ethan told him. "But there's something about Xan's tone..."

"I know," Steffan said as he leaned back in his desk chair. "I sense it too..."

* * *

Xan didn't respond to Callista yet but now started to sing, "_Taung sa rang broka Mando'ade ka'rta. Dha Werda Verda a'den tratu, Manda'yaim kandosii adu. Duum motir ca'tra nau tracinya. Gra'tua cuun hett su dralshy'a."_

He looked like he had just stepped out of _dar'yaim_ itself, the fire in his eyes was so intense. "The _Kyr'tsad_ woke up the _mythosaur,_ _cyar'ika_. _Mythosaurs_ don't like being awoken. Those that wake them...pay in blood..." He continued to sing: "_Kom'rk tsad droten troch nyn ures adenn. Dha Werda Verda a'den tratu, Manda'yaim kandosii adu. Duum motir ca'tra nau tracinya. Gra'tua cuun hett su dralshy'a...._"

The words themselves..... _but his tone_... It sent cold chills up her spine and she could feel a sense of dread settle in her stomach. She swallowed involuntarily. "Be careful....." she said quietly, but she knew from the tone that he would do whatever he felt was necessary to bring justice to the _Kyr'tsad_.

"They wanted first blood and they got it.....but we'll have the last even if the galaxy drowns in blood..." he growled again.

* * *

Four hours later, the _Par'jila_ blinked back into existence as the small ship dropped out of hyperspace on the edge of the Cataan system. Their destination began to grow larger in the viewport as they approached the colony world that Steffan had told them of earlier. She typed out a burst message to Steffan and sent it. [_We're in-system.... were you able to pull the last coordinates from his flight recorder?_]

[_Waiting for you at the pad he used now,_] he told her. [_Home in on me_]

[_Coming to you..._] She used the signal from his comlink as a homing beacon. A few minutes later, the _Par'jila_ settled to the pad. Steffan was already waiting at the spaceport when they touched down. His hood was up and covered his features to where he just looked like a robed statue standing there and waiting.

Xan did a final check on his rippers and blasters before putting on his helmet. He was taking extra time to check over his weapons as they were going to get a workout by the end of the day. He even made sure his _beskad,_ the Mandalorian iron sword he never usually carried was strapped over his back for ease of use, and that the blade was just on the dull side. He was going to enjoy this.

Xan walked with Callista towards where Steffan and Ethan were waiting. He knew that his actions were going to be monitored closely, but for the most part he couldn't have cared less at the moment. He followed Callista's lead this time, a shadow of impending malice ready to be unleashed at any time.

"Xan, Callista," Steffan said to them as they met up. 

"Steffan." Callista nodded. She too was wearing full _beskar'gam_, her lightsaber riding low on her belt, along with her rippers.

"We overflew the site where it happened coming in," Ethan said to them. "Whatever they used, the bastards took out a block or two with it."

"No residuals scanned?" Xan asked, barely on the edge of calm.

Callista nodded. "Most likely high-yield explosives..... military-grade," she looked to Xan for confirmation. After a moment, she moved over to where Marin was, and knelt, laying her hand on the girl's arm. She could feel the turmoil as Marin struggled for calm.

Marin looked up. She too wore her full _beskar'gam_, and Callista nodded as she noted the colors. Callista remained there for several moments, lending Marin support before she stood and walked back to Xan.

"I did a check," Steffan told them. "Baradium....small charge from the looks of it, but you know how powerful it is."

Xan nodded. "Sounds like them for sure...two blocks though.... they're fortified inside that perimeter then. But I doubt they have much in the way of heavy-duty emplacements. Maybe some industrial repeaters; but that's about it. They rely on their stealth more. We can expect ambushes frequently."

When she heard that, Callista nodded. "We'll have to be careful. I'd advise everyone to keep a weapon readily available."

"Surprises are no stranger to us," Steffan said as he went in the lead down the street. His senses were as alive as ever, taking note of everything around them as they moved. "No hostile intent that I can sense on the way."

"That won't last..." Xan spat. "They're just waiting till we get into a good position...." Xan pulled his rippers. "It's the _hut'uun'la_ way," he growled.

Steffan thought about that for a moment then looked up towards the rooftops before he crouched down a moment and leaped the entire height to the top. As soon as his boots hit the roof, he crouched low and started to take a look around.

Callista pulled her own weapons, making sure to keep Marin between her and Ethan as they brought up the rear. She turned outwards from the group, scanning, and noticed Marin doing the same.

Dilan took the same approach and leaped to the opposite building above them and nodded to his father as they started to carefully go at the same pace as the group.

Marin glanced toward Callista and Ethan, taking her cues from them as she drew her DE-10s and flipped off the safety. She didn't see anyone, but she did have that odd feeling of being watched. She was glad for her helmet sensors - she could keep her eyes forward, but still see the entire area. She paused for a moment as she felt a faint spike off to her left. She glanced towards Ethan, and then Xan, knowing she'd best leave it to the adults.

Xan's mood was not improving as they made their slow way along the rooftops. He hung back while the others made their progress, as though he was going to cover their six. But when they made their way onto the next roof, Xan dropped into an alley and began to make his way on street level.

Steffan looked over to his left somewhat. _ 'Marin,'_ he sent out to her. _'Stay close to Ethan and Callista.'_

Marin frowned beneath her helmet, but replied: _'Elek, Master....'_ She wanted vengeance so much that it made her chest ache..... but she took a slow breath and forced that desire down so she could stay focused.

Callista noticed Xan duck into an alley and shook her head. _'I hope you know what you're doing, cyar'ika...' _

This plan of Xan's was not the most genius of battle plans, but if he served as the distraction the less heat would be on the others. As he made his way down the street, he finally spotted a target. Without a word of warning, he targeted and fired. Soon the calm was broken by a steady stream of ripper rapports as he fired into the hapless scout, beheading him with the amount of fire directed at him. But now the calm was broken. "_KYR'TSAD!!!!! GAR TALE CUYIR NER!!!!!!_"

Steffan heard the shots and was alright until he heard the yelled challenge from Xan. '_Now...they would really come out of the woodwork'_, he thought.

Callista adjusted her grip on her rippers, continuing to scan the area..... and then.... there they were. One by one, she saw them. Marin swore as multiple contacts suddenly popped onto her sensor screen. _They'd been stealthed...._

Almost at the time, there were two that appeared on his side of the rooftop with weapons drawn. Steffan didn't give the first time to line up a shot as he leaped into the air and came down with his lightsaber spearing through the center of the man's helmet. The second was caught by surprise so much that he was still there that Steffan rammed him shoulder-first and sent them both over the edge and heading for the three. 

Dilan saw his father's actions but did not see the result as his danger sense flashed and he drew his lightsaber on instinct back-handed and started an infinity arc that caught several shots that were meant for him. Two he sent back into one of his attackers. The second pressed in...

Knowing that they were falling in front of the others, Steffan force hammered the other hard and sent him smashing through the roadbed, cracking the material as he landed away from the hole, his lightsaber still ignited in a one-handed grip.

Callista swore and swung her ripper around to cover their six as her right hand dropped to her thigh plate. An instant later, her saber fell into her palm. She thumbed it to life, blocking blaster bolts one-handed as she tried to draw a bead on one of the shooters.

Xan's ripper sung again as he saw three contacts pop out of nowhere in front of him and he bellowed once more, "_Oya Manda!!!!!_" These ones were harder to kill as when the first shots were fired at one, the other two had ducked into cover He had to duck behind an abandoned stall himself to discard cartridges and put in new ones. He almost had this done when two more popped up into view just in front of him, forcing him to abandon the game plan and use his blasters.

Marin knew her training saber might not do much good, but she kept it handy anyways as she tracked the armored figures one by one, as Ethan had taught her. She grinned in satisfaction as one, and then a second fell to her blaster.

Dilan's remaining attacker brought both of his blasters up, hoping to catch him at point-blank range. The younger Jedi severed both barrels with one swing and quickly spun around the figure in a single arch that decapitated the man. 

Steffan saw two coming around a corner with heavier weapons in hand and was preparing to bring them to bear...and they had two more in support right in front of where he landed. One of the heavy weapon carriers was dispatched by his lightsaber in a short moment as he stretched his hand and slammed a support gunner through the far wall. The other two brought their weapons up but suddenly felt cold as his lightsaber had flown and cut both of them down. The weapon returned to Steffan's hand and he brought it around once on his right side before returning it to his belt.

Xan managed to kill one with a well-timed shot into the visor, but the second managed to do some damage back as Xan was diving behind the stall more fully. A shot to the somewhat vulnerable left side was barely kept from killing him thanks to his armor. Xan swore as he rolled up to the balls of his feet, preparing to unleash another barrage. '_Need to get more time practicing on my basics, I've gotten a little weak,'_ he thought to himself.

Callista kept Ethan to her left, so his blasters covered their flank, with Marin's covering their right as they moved down the street. "Ethan, _Hukaat'kama!_ (watch my six!)" she told him as she leaped forward and to the left, driving her amethyst blade into the chest of the man that had popped around the side of the nearest building.

There wasn't really anything for Ethan to say when the assault came. He was all business now...and in his own zone as one....two...three went down under his blasters. He may not be sensitive to the Force, but years of combat gave him an 'awareness' of what was going on and knowing that the others had it covered. He saw his own role right now as keeping Marin in sight and covered as he drilled another attacker down just beneath his helmet. 

"Standing here ain't going to do anything," he hollered to the others. "I say its time to give this some momentum."

"Agreed," Steffan said as he looked over to Dilan. "Three in the next ally with Xan. Get over there."

Xan knew he was getting pinned down and he cursed himself for thinking of doing this alone, but he made his bed. As he unleashed another barrage towards his enemy's own semi-bunkered position, he regretted leaving his lightsaber on board the _Par'jila_. "_Dar'manda!_ Show your face!" he growled, hoping to get his opponent distracted. "I'm no _dar'manda, Jetii_ weakling!" his opponent said and popped out to unleash his own barrage, which was stopped dead by a well-placed shot into the scout's throat.

"I'll give him top cover," Dilan said as he already saw more on the rooftops heading that way.

Marin saw Callista move off to the left, and she was hard-pressed to keep her attention on her own task, as she saw the speed at which the older woman moved. She gaped for a moment before she shook herself and swept her blasters back and forth, scanning. She spotted one up on the roof, trying to draw a bead on Callista. Sighting down the barrel of the DE-10, she drilled a blaster bolt right through the man's visor. He collapsed to the roof before the trio moved forward again, Callista in the lead.

Xan was running low in power packs as well as ammo._ 'Now you see why anger dulls the senses till it's time to strike,' _he thought as he moved into position to face the other two Death Watchers that had him pinned. He fired a useless volley of shots and then had to hunker down again. _'Nearly out of power now.'_

Callista felt the spike from Xan, and she took off at a dead run, her lightsaber spinning to block the incoming bolts, many of which flew back the direction they had come, drilling through visors.... throats... knees... She skidded around the corner with Marin and Ethan on her heels. _'Xan.... coming to you....' _She sprinted down the alley as she narrowed down his location. Shoving her ripper into its holster, she dropped into his hiding place. "Need a hand...?" she asked as she tossed him a spare power pack and her other lightsaber.

The two _Kyr'tsad_ rechecked their weapons and one pulled a concussion grenade out and was ready to prime it when they started hearing shots above them. The lead shrugged it off until he started to hear a yell coming down towards them. He looked up just as the tip of Dilan's blue lightsaber ran down through his spine. The man dropped like a stone as the other started to bring his weapon in line, but Dilan had already pulled his blade and brought it around in a wide arc from the ground that bisected the man. He spun his blade and looked around before turning to where he had seen Xan. "Clear!"

Xan nodded at Callista gratefully and popped up when Dilan finished with the scouts. "Good work _vod_...let's keep moving!" Xan ignited the spare lightsaber Callista brought him. While it was sort of out of balance for him, it was better than relying on his blasters right now.

Steffan stood and looked at the number of bodies that were strewn all over the street. "They're not going to stop with just these...." 

Callista shook her head. "_Nayc_, they won't...."

"Another couple of blocks between here and where the blast happened," Ethan said as he holstered his blasters and brought his carbine up. "I don't get it...if this was a set up for Jarius, why stick around when you KNOW there's going to be others looking for answers. Its an invitation to get killed...or worse, get caught."

Just then a series of muffled booms were heard, followed by a couple of cracks and a high-pitched sound. Xan knew what it was. "_Sonics!!! Take cover!_"

"_Fiefek!_" Callista dove behind the wall and pulled Marin to the ground with her on instinct, covering their heads. She tried to throw up a force shield but wasn't sure how much good it would do.

Steffan ducked behind one of the cross streets and hunkered down low, Dilan did the same on the opposite side of the street.

Xan ran and dove into a dilapidated building, hoping that the walls would hold against the wave of sound long enough for him to not get his guts turned to jelly by the concussive wave.


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ni su'cuyi, gar kyr'adyc, ni partayli, gar darasuum, buir..." - I'm still alive, but you are dead. I remember you, so you are eternal, father...
> 
> di'kut - idiot

Bran and Koya talked in low tones as they sat on the ground outside the training circle. Bran looked up and noticed that Master Karrde was starting to walk through the main gates with Dilan in tow. A few moments later, and Marin appeared behind them with Masters Qenadius and Gseran behind her. Bran nudged Koya and his friend turned to look and noticed Marin as Bran got up.

Marin didn't even notice them. She walked with her shoulders hunched over, her helmet clutched in her left hand. Her hair was mussed, tendrils having come free of her braid to float about her face. Her face was covered in dust, broken only by tear streaks. Her black and orange _beskar'gam_ was marred by dirt smears and even a little carbon-scoring. But what she carried cradled in her arms was what she stared at. She barely saw where she was walking, only Callista's gentle hand on her shoulder keeping her from bumping into things.

Bran and Koya shared a look, wondering if they should even approach. They looked to Master Karrde, who shook his head softly before raising his hand to signal that they should wait for a moment.

"Marin," he said softly as he turned to look at her. "Would you want some of your friends to help you?" He gestured to where Bran and Koya were standing.

Slowly, Marin lifted her head. The expression of pure pain clear. She looked to Master Karrde for a moment, her lips trembling. She felt Callista squeeze her shoulder gently. "We'll be around if you need us, _Mar'ika_..." Callista told her softly.

Marin nodded to Callista, squeezing the older woman's hand for a moment before she turned back to Master Karrde, nodding silently. She clutched the object in her arms to her chest, as if she didn't want to let it go.

Steffan motioned for Bran and Koya to join them. When they got there, the pure pain on Marin's face was so clear to them. She was holding a badly scorched blue and grey helmet in her arms that they had never seen before but knew clearly who it had belonged to. They could only guess what was in the bag she had over her shoulder.

"Marin?" Bran asked as they came up to her.

Marin looked up at them, her lips trembling as she tried to hold back yet more tears. "_Bran.... Koya._.." she whispered, her hands trembling as she held the blue and gray helmet to her chest. She stared down at it for a long moment, tracing the scorch marks with her gloved fingers. She looked up then and seemed to shake herself. With a bit of difficulty, she passed the pack over to Bran. It clinked with a metallic sound. She handed her own helmet to Koya, keeping the blue scorched one in her arms.

"Thank you," Steffan said to them as they accepted what she handed over. "Where is Jarod?"

"He's not here, sensei," Koya answered to him. "He ventured out after you had left the planet and he was out all night."

Steffan had figured on this and started to stretch out his senses to get a sense of where his student was, his hand going to Marin's shoulder to comfort her.

Marin choked back a fresh sob, her fingers tightening around the burden in her arms. She could only begin to guess at what Jarod was feeling after what she'd done. For a long moment, the only sound in the courtyard was her muffled sobs.

"He's to the southwest," Steffan told her quietly as he looked along that heading. "I see a clearing with a large tree close to the shoreline. He's in a familiar spot, so it won't be hard to get there, Marin."

Marin nodded wordlessly, her gaze sliding to Bran and Koya for a moment. She wasn't about to leave her father's _beskar'gam_.... not now. She looked back to Master Karrde, struggling to keep her voice even. "May I go, Sensei...?" she asked softly.

He nodded gently and looked to the two others. "Be gentle with those items, please, and place them in her quarters."

"Yes sensei," they said as they started to move towards the dorm.

Marin watched them go, her gaze following them until they disappeared into the dormitory. She still clutched Jarius' helmet, and she wasn't about to part with it. She bowed, a bit stiffly from her armor before she turned towards the gate, her eyes drifting closed as she tried to find Jarod. It was a long moment before she opened her eyes again, and her steps were slow as she started to move towards the gate.

* * *

He had stayed camped there all night with the sounds of the woods and the crackling of the fire in front of him for his company as he leaned back against the massive tree he had found on his walk. The sounds of the night air and the shore close by was soothing to him as he looked up upon the night sky. It was first light now and he had tossed a few more pieces that he had cut with his lightsaber the evening before into the fire to keep it going. To keep him company, actually, as he had tried to meditate sitting there over and over. But peace had been escaping him thus far. It was all turmoil inside. 

It took Marin almost an hour to get to him. She was finding it rather... difficult to keep her sorrow in check. She was almost certain everyone could feel it, and she didn't much care. It felt as if her heart had shattered into a million pieces. She did close down a little. She wasn't sure how Jarod would react when he saw her.

Finally, she shuffled around the bend in the trail, the faint sound of waves washing to the beach reaching her ears. The breeze was cool here, and it ruffled her hair as she scanned the area. There was the tree Master Karrde had told her about. A small fire flickered beneath it... _and next to the the fire..._ She hung back, choking back a sob as she saw him huddled there, staring into the flames.

He turned his head, having sensed her coming for some time and saw her standing there, still in her armor and clutching something in her arms. Jarod could feel the sorrow pouring off of her and he started to get up as she moved closer.

Marin hiccuped and reached up to wipe at her nose with the back of her hand, which left a dusty smudge across her cheeks. She was silent for a long moment... just looking at him. When she reached the edge of the circle of light cast by the fire, she collapsed to her knees and stared into the flames for a long moment before she spoke. "Jarod....." her voice was soft and filled with tears. She couldn't bear to look at him as she remembered what she’d done.

No word was said, but in a moment after she had whispered his name, his arms were around her tightly, pulling her close. "You're back safe," he whispered as he closed his eyes and continued to hold her.

Marin turned and buried her face against his shoulder, her tears soaking through his tunic. She remained like that for a long time, until she finally cried herself to exhaustion. Finally, she looked up, her dark eyes troubled. She reached up a hesitant, shaking hand to brush his cheek, not even noticing that her gloves were covered in dust and grime. "Gods, Jarod. I... I'm so sorry...." Her lips trembled again, and she tightened her grip on the helmet in her arms again.

"Marin..." he whispered as he held her hand there on his cheek before he leaned in to kiss her deeply, anything to alleviate at least some of the burden she was carrying. When he finally moved his head back from the kiss, he whispered to her very softly. "I understand why...my love," his voice was so soft. "I forgive you.....I really do."

Marin hiccuped, but it was swallowed by his gentle kiss. It was so filled with love. She felt it wash over her, and surround her with warmth. It lessened her pain somewhat, but it was still there. She clung to him then as tears threatened again. "Jarod.... I..." She leaned into his chest and slipped the fingers of her free hand into his. "I feel like such a _di'kut _for what I put you through.." she said softly, staring down at the blaster burns and other damage that covered the dome of the helmet in her lap.

Jarod looked down at the helm and the damage that was there. "You had your reasons," he told her. "I understand them now as I did then. I didn't want you rushing out, though...I didn't want to lose you."

"Well you didn't..." she said softly, squeezing his hand. "_Et'ika_ saw to that..." She chuckled a little, remembering the chase above Cataan... but she sobered as her thoughts drifted to their trip to the colony. _And what they'd found... _The dust and grime on her own armor was somewhat hidden by the dim light, as was the carbon scoring from a few shots that had come too close.

He looked over her armor, seeing the marks and dirt...as well as the close shots. He wanted to curse himself, actually, for not demanding to go along, but he knew he was still learning his chosen weapon. "I've....I've got a pack here that we could put your plates in if you want," he said gently said as he was tracing her cheek.

Marin nodded quietly. "I'd like that..." She wiped the heel of her hand across her cheeks before she rolled to her knees and hefted Jarius' helmet for a moment, looking into the fire before she laid her forehead against it. Her words were soft and spoken in the Mandalorian tongue. "_Ni su'cuyi, gar kyr'adyc, ni partayli, gar darasuum, buir..._" (I'm still alive, but you are dead. I remember you, so you are eternal.)

Jarod leaned against the tree and held her under his arm as he looked to the makeshift woodpile he had made and used the Force to place a few more pieces on it.

Marin was silent for a long time. "When we found where it had happened, there wasn't much left. Whatever explosives were used, pretty much destroyed about two blocks around the blast zone. I don't know how his plates survived, but _beskar_ is pretty tough."

"From what Xan and Callista were able to find out from the computer on his ship, he'd taken a contract, thinking it was legit. It turned out to be a trap. The _Kyr'tsad_ were waiting for him... They'd rigged the entire warehouse with baradium... and lured him inside....." she sniffled, her fingers tightening around the helmet. "We had a hell of a time even getting to it..... we had to fight our way through them.."

"How many were left waiting for you?" he asked quietly.

Marin shook her head and shrugged. "I really don't know. Once we got close to the blast zone, they just came out of nowhere. I'd say at least two dozen... maybe more."

He nodded and held her close. "It was a setup for him?"

"As near as we can figure, _lek_...." she answered quietly, her thumb tracing the blaster scoring for a moment.

"When the time comes," Jarod said quietly. "Maybe we can repay them in kind in the same manner."

Marin shrugged. "Perhaps. I just..... don't want to do it out of anger. _Mando'ad_ vengeance is about justice. I'm not looking for revenge. I don't want to go down that path...." She shuddered at the memory of how she'd felt then, and of how it had changed Jarius when he'd gone the same path.

"Good," Jarod said as he looked at her. "I'm glad...because that is a path I didn't want you to go because I would not be able to follow you down it - and I want to be there with you." He reached out with his other hand and started to trace her cheek again.

Marin closed her eyes, taking a shuddery breath at his touch. It made her stomach flutter, and yet at the same time, it was soothing. "I just don't know what to do. I want to honor him, but I'm not quite sure how..."

"Shhhhh," he said as he continued to trace her cheek. "We'll figure that out later. Right now, you look like you need rest more than anything else."

Marin sighed and nodded, clutching Jarius' helmet to her chest as she felt his touch and the warmth of the fire lulling her to sleep.

Jarod pulled her closer and rubbed his hand down her back as he felt her drifting off in his arms.

She snuggled closer, and soon the only sounds were her soft breathing and the crackling of the fire as the sun started to climb into the sky.


	31. Chapter 31

Slowly, Marin woke. She didn't want to move. She opened her eyes and squinted, taking in where she was. The fire had died down, but it was still giving off some heat. She snuggled deeper into Jarod's arms before she remembered what she held cradled in her lap. Tears silently traced their way down her cheeks as she gazed at it - and she began to remember. The anger she'd felt the day before; some of it was at him for leaving. But more of it was at herself for screaming at him like that. She'd never done anything like that before. The memory of it made her cry a little more as she held the helmet to her.

Her crying was what woke Jarod and he looked at her and pulled her in closer. He didn't say anything, knowing how she was feeling, but just held her close. He looked to the fire dying down and looked to see that he had two pieces of wood left and so he placed them on to use them up and just laid there quietly.

Marin sniffled and laid her head on his shoulder, the tears soaking into his tunic. It was a long time before she finally spoke, and even then, it was quiet. "I can't help but think that maybe if I'd told him how I was feeling, maybe he would have stayed. I was so... _angry_. He promised me he'd be here, and then all the sudden he gets a call and the next thing I know, he's packing to go. I... screamed at him, telling him he'd promised... and then I ran. I didn't know why then, but I had this horrible feeling that something bad was going to happen... and I know he felt it from me...." She broke off then and started sobbing again.

"From what I have heard and understand," he started to say quietly. "He was very committed to finding these people. I'm pretty sure the Mandalorians don't want to leave any openings for this group to get out. So....wouldn't they have to know if the information was right?"

"I guess...." she said after a moment, shrugging. "He didn't ask for anyone to help him, though. _Fierfek_... if only I'd told him...."

"Didn't want a show of force, maybe?" he asked, trying to see all sides.

"Probably..." she allowed after a moment's thought. "He was rather good at skulking around." She grinned slightly, but there was a tinge of sadness to it.

"With everything you already knew and that you've learned from him and from Master Karrde, you could be able to scout around too, later." He shrugged at the idea. He could sense her starting to cheer up at least a little bit.

"What do you mean..... continue the search.......?"

"They're not going to stop until something is done," Jarod told her. "We all said 'when the time was right', we go after them."

She sighed. "You're right, I suppose... I just..... I feel like it's my fault.... if I'd told him... Maybe.." Then she shook her head. There wasn't any use debating it now.

Jarod leaned over and kissed her forehead softly. "If there was any fault at this, it is theirs...not yours."

She sighed and slumped a little. "You're right..." She looked up at the sky above them. It was past midday. "We should probably start heading back. I don't know about you, but I'm hungry."

"Yeah," he said as he looked up. "I've been gone for a while. There've probably been some people worried." He let Marin get up first then got up himself. After throwing the dirt back over the coals and filled in the hole. Marin started to reach for her pack, but he stopped her and picked it up and put it over his shoulder as his other hand held hers as they started to walk.

She almost protested, but shrugged after a moment, clutching Jarius' helmet to her again. Their progress was slow, allowing her to see the forest and the wildlife that she'd missed the last time. But it also brought a swell of sorrow. Jarius had loved the forest. Especially around their home in the Tanagis system.

The mood in the praxeum was subdued as they entered. By now, the others that considered themselves a close friend to Marin knew what had happened and nodded softly to them as they walked into the courtyard. Master Karrde saw them and nodded to them, as well as sent a message to Jarod that he understood their needing some time.

Marin saw his glance, and she tried to smile, settling for a simple respectful nod when that didn't work. She was silent as they made their way across the courtyard and to the dormitory. It felt odd to her to be wearing even part of her _beskar'gam_ inside the praxeum walls. Jarius never had. And now she understood why. Being in the praxeum for her was soothing. 

She led the way up to her room and shoved the door open with her foot as she made her way over to the bed, setting Jarius' helmet carefully on the table next to it. The pack containing his plates had been placed in the center of her bed. She moved it carefully to the end of the bed, and sank down on the edge of the mattress for a moment.

"Do you want me to open up the trunk for you?" Jarod asked as he stood there at the foot of her bed.

Marin's lips quirked. "I'd better... it's keyed to my thumbprint..." She slid off the bed and crossed to the trunk, pressing her thumb to the reader. The lock clicked open a second later. She smiled across at him as she pushed the lid back against the foot of the bed, before starting to pull the trays from inside the trun_k._

"Wait a sec," Jarod said as he noticed something. A piece of flimsi had fallen out of one of the trays. "What is this?" he asked as he picked it up and turned it over. "It has your name on it."

"_Me'ven....?_" Marin peeked over his shoulder. It was indeed a piece of flimsi with her name on it. "How did...?" she started to ask, and then she saw the writing. Only one other person could override the lock on her trunk. He was the only one who could have put something there. '_But when...?'_ With shaking fingers, Marin took the piece of flimsi from his hand. It was folded in half, with her name scrawled across the front..... in _Mando'a_ characters.

Slowly, she unfolded the piece of flimsi, her vision blurring slightly. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to keep tears from dripping onto the page and smearing the ink. She sank down on the floor next to Jarod, her free hand finding his as she choked back fresh tears.

He knelt down and held her close as she started to read. 

Marin clutched the flimsi, her fingers shaking, and her voice choked by tears as she began to read the _Mando'a_ script. Her voice was barely above a whisper. When she got to where he said he felt as if he'd betrayed her, she choked back a sob. When it had subsided to sniffles, she continued reading. She could feel that same cold lump settling in her stomach._ 'He wouldn't be coming back....'_ She finished the letter, and broke down sobbing, burying her face into Jarod's shoulder.

He held her close as she buried herself into his shoulder. Slowly, he took the letter from her and read over it, remembering what Marin had taught him of _Mando'a _script.

_Marin,_

_Even though I have to head out to check this lead, I feel like I still owe you an explanation of what is going on._

_The man that had tried to recruit me into Death Watch was named Danos J’oran. He had been a fellow Marine before he had disappeared for some time. There had been rumors around that he'd also been an assassin for hire….something that turned my stomach when I heard about it. When he approached me for Death Watch, I already had an idea of what the organization was and turned him down at blaster point. _

_He was the one that claimed responsibility for the death of my family. You know about the rampage that I went on. I took an oath with my own blood that I would see that man dead or brought to Manda'yaim in irons._

_After training with Master Karrde, I know the right thing to do is to bring him to justice…alive. The call I received was from someone that has a three day window to be able to achieve that goal. I _have_ to investigate this…even if I can just put a tracker on the ship he’s using so I can get Xan or Ethan…or any and all other Mando'ade to bring this cha'kaar down. _

…_.I know that I made a promise to you that I would be here longer than this. My daughter, I know my word means a lot to you…it means everything to me as well. If nothing else, I have tried to teach you more than anything that your word is who you are. There are no exceptions in that. _

_But…it feels like I have betrayed you more than anything else I could have done by having to leave here sooner than I expected. Seeing the hurt on your face hurt me in a deeper way than I could have shown and I cannot even begin to apologize for hurting you in such a way. You are my daughter and I love you very much…and I am sorry for not having been there more than I have and for cutting our time together. _

_This will be made up after I’m done with this assignment, I swear it. After this is done, there will not be anything further that will demand my time more than you do. We will spend more time together at the praxeum learning and at home trying to keep together the family I feel we should be. I know your upset with me right now, and I know that you will not want to forgive me so quickly for what I have done. But, I hope that when I return that we can sit down and plan out where we go from here. _

_Love,_

_Buir._

"He felt like he betrayed you?" He asked as he got to that point. "What made him feel that way?"

Marin sniffled and wiped at her nose with the back of her hand. "To a _Mando'ad_, their word is a bond. If they say they will do something, they have every intention of doing so. He promised me he would stay. And when he told me about the call, I got so angry. He broke his promise to me. I..... screamed at him.... and then, I just ran......"

"Did he try to catch up?" Jarod asked, looking at her concerned. "Try to talk to you...anything?"

She nodded. "_Elek_.... he did..... but I was so upset... When he'd told me about the call, I had this horrible feeling that something was going to happen. When he caught up to me.... I.... pushed out of his embrace, flooding our bond with those feelings before I ran... He... he didn't follow after that....." She sobbed again. "I feel like it's my fault...."

Jarod kept reading until he got the ending of the letter. "He was planning to make it up after he found this J'oran person."

She nodded. "And he never came back..... " She drew her knees up, staring across the room, but not seeing much of anything.

Jarod read over the first part of the letter over again a few times. "Does anyone believe this was a setup?"

"I..... don't know... I know _buir_ said he'd talked with Master Karrde after his meditations the other day. _Buir_ had given me a really odd look... and he never told me why. I can't explain the feelings I had when he told me about the call. Somehow... I knew." She shrugged. "Maybe Master Karrde would know.."

"I have a feeling it is," Jarod said as he looked it over again. Master Karrde had been giving him instruction in investigative matters as a Jedi and he was starting to see something in the letter that Jarius had left. "I think I may need to speak to Master Karrde about this...."

Marin looked up at him. "Do you think I should be there? I did have this awful feeling as soon as he mentioned it...."

"If you want to," he told her. "But I think I need to bring this with me. I'm getting a feeling here."

"O...okay...." she said, her voice a little reluctant as she let him take the letter from her fingers. "I... should probably tell him about the discussion _buir_ and I had just after he came back this last time...."

He nodded and kissed her softly. "Do we need to wait and rest a bit?"

Marin shrugged. "I.... don't know..." She leaned against his shoulder for a moment, trying to calm her roiling emotions. As hard as she tried, she couldn't fight the feeling of guilt that settled in her stomach. _She felt like it was her fault...._

Jarod could sense it and pulled her in closer to him. "I know.... and don't know of anything I can say to make you feel otherwise right now."

For a long moment, she just clung to him, not wanting to let go. After several minutes, she took a deep breath and wiped the heel of her hand across her face. "I suppose... I should change before we go and talk to him....." she said softly as she looked down at her grimy coverall.

"I'll wait outside," Jarod said as he got them up and started to head for the door.

She clung to his hand for a moment, not letting go before she leaned in to kiss him softly. "I'll be out in a few minutes...." and then she released his hand, turning towards the closet as she heard him close the door softly behind him.

For a long moment, she just stared at the clothes in her closet, her vision blurring slightly. Rubbing the heel of her hand across her cheeks, she blinked back the tears. Her fingers shook slightly as she pulled a pair of black trousers from their hanger, and a tunic of a blue so dark it was almost black. On the upper left chest of the tunic, worked in blue the same shade as his tunics, in delicate embroidery was the Beviin clan sigil. It was also embroidered larger across the back of the tunic. 

She laid these out on the bed and stepped into the 'fresher, scrubbing off the dust and grime... and even a little blood from the previous day. She turned off the water and came back into the room, toweling off briskly before she dressed in clean underwear.

She pulled the tunic and skirt on with care, smoothing the fabric with her fingers after she pulled on her boots. Then she brushed out her hair, leaving it loose as she slipped Jarius' tags around her neck, leaving them visible. Now she was as ready as she would ever be. She took a deep breath and stepped out into the hall. Her face was still, but her eyes were haunted, and filled with the deep pain... and the guilt she felt.

* * *

"A setup?" Steffan asked as he turned to look at Jarod and Marin as they stood in the doorway of his study.

"I'm beginning to believe so," Jarod answered as he held up the letter. "Just from reading this, Master, it sounds like this anonymous contact must have been this Danos J'oran that Jarius was looking for. And it was the perfect lure to get him there."

Steffan nodded at this and looked to Ethan. "Your thoughts?"

Marin was silent, listening to the discussion as she fingered Jarius' tags. It had been a lot more than even she'd expected. She thought that they would have cleared out after ... taking him out... That thought almost started her crying again, and she took a deep breath, trying to ease the ache in her chest.

Jarod eased his hand on her shoulder to help calm her.

"You may be more right about that than you think, Jarod," Steffan told him. "What concerns me is that they were able to operate long enough to be able to pull something like that off. After the incident today, I know that the authorities are not going to move the group they have surrounding the planet for a long time until there is a more in-depth look into it."

Marin's fingers curled around Jarius' tags. She didn't get it. _'Jarius himself had said he was being careful... and yet the kyr'tsad had been able to track him... right to the praxeum...' _That made her stomach knot again, and she pondered for a moment how to voice her thoughts. She knew Master Karrde and Jarod could sense her feelings at least.

Steffan looked over to Marin and over to Jarod. "Marin," he asked softly. "Do you need to work out some of the feelings that you're having to deal with right now?"

Marin was silent for a moment before she nodded. "_Elek_..." she said softly, finally lifting her gaze to his. She paused to take a breath. "There's something I don't get, though. _Buir_ said he was taking precautions to cover his movements. And yet the _kyr'tsad_ were able to track him; not only to the Cataan system, but the praxeum itself, and dig in..."

"It is a grave concern of mine," Steffan said as he nodded. "Its being looked into, Marin. Because of the severity of this incident, the Cataani high command is wanting to investigate. I'm to talk with them later on today, but I feel that this is going to involve some outside help as well."

She frowned. "What do you mean?" She traced the tags again, trying to breathe through the lump of guilt that sat in her stomach. _'If only I'd told him...'_

"What Master Karrde is saying is that we're going to pull some more _Jettise_ in to help," Ethan told her. "And what few _Mando'ade_ there are that would have no objection to working alongside them as long as it means putting Death Watch down like a rabid rancor. Between the two of our groups, we should be able to track them down."

Steffan looked towards Marin and saw the underlying concern there. "Would you feel better talking to Andrea, Marin?"

"I... don't know..." she said quietly, clutching at Jarod's hand. She nervously smoothed her skirt. "I'd... like her to be here, though..." she allowed after a moment. They all needed to hear this, she felt.

"I believe I was fixing to be called," Andrea said as she walked into the room, little Ian hanging on her leg for a moment until Jade picked him up and carried him into the music room. She walked in and knelt down to wrap an arm around Marin for a moment. "What do we need to hear?"

Marin blinked... but she supposed Andrea would have picked up on that... She took a deep breath. "I suppose I should start from the beginning... when _buir_ came back to the praxeum this last time..."

Steffan took his seat at his desk and nodded for Ethan to have a seat as well before he motioned for her to continue.

Marin swallowed, and leaned into Andrea's embrace, even as she clutched Jarod's hand. "When _buir_ came back... to tell me he was going to be staying for a while, he told me a little bit more about his past. I'd asked if he was going after them again, and he said...'I'm not on the warpath for them anymore..' he said he would be here for a while."

She stopped for a moment. "Just before he left this last time, we were supposed to do some training. When I went to his quarters, I saw him packing. I got... really upset. He'd promised me he'd stay. I... ran, and when he caught up to me and tried to calm me down... I pushed out of his embrace, and screamed at him. As soon as he'd mentioned the call, I had this horrible feeling. I flooded our bond with those feelings, and then I ran. If only I'd told him. Maybe he'd have stayed." She broke down crying then, her thin form shaking in Andrea's embrace.

Andrea only wrapped her arms around Marin, looking to her father and Steffan sat there rubbing his chin and thinking about it. "And you feel that you're somewhat responsible for his leaving anyway?" he asked her quietly. "That you didn't do enough to make him stay?"

Marin nodded. "He'd promised. For a _Mando'ad_, their word is their honor..." She thought briefly of the letter Jarod held in his fingers and felt her heart sink even more.

"Not just for a Mandalorian either," Steffan told her. "He would have held to that three times as strong; being a Cataani..and a Marine as well as a Mandalorian. He had to have gone planning to come back."

"He did," Jarod said as he sat on the arm of Marin's chair. "He planned to spend a lot more time with her...here or their home."

Marin nodded, feeling her stomach twist itself into knots again. Nervously, she smoothed her skirt, the movement of her arm revealing the delicately worked embroidery on her tunic.

Ethan glanced at this and looked at her. "Is that what I think is?"

Slowly, Marin lifted her gaze to Ethan's and nodded. "_Elek_... it is..." she said softly, the fingers of her right hand still clutching at Jarius' tags.

Ethan looked to Steffan, who had also noticed the embroidery and nodded.

"There's no reason for blaming yourself for what has happened there," Andrea whispered softly. "And continually beating yourself up for it is not going to bring him back any more than hunting these people out of pure hatred."

Marin nodded. She'd already had the same discussion with Jarod. But gods, it felt like her heart had been ripped in two. "It's not revenge I want. It's _justice_. They have to be stopped. How many people have they killed... how many families torn apart? It _must_ end..."

"And it will," Andrea told her. "Father, I'm going to take her downstairs, if its okay. Maybe some remote work will help her unwind with some instruction from me."

"Agreed," Steffan said as he nodded at the suggestion. "I think maybe adding something else into the mix would help. If you would, grab Souvrin's lightsaber from the display as you go."

Marin's eyes widened as she watched Andrea open the display and pick up one of the lightsabers from it's stand. She'd seen the display case before... _'But why was he letting her use one... much less a full-powered one...?'_ She looked across to Master Karrde with an expression of curiosity on her face.

"Andrea will explain," Steffan said as he gestured for her to follow his daughter.

Marin chewed her lower lip nervously for a moment before she rose and bowed politely, with a last glance to Jarod before she slipped out of the room and slid the door closed behind her.

"It'll be alright," Andrea said as she walked over towards the kitchen. "We're going to be downstairs for a little while, mother."

"We'll be just fine," Jade said with a smile as she played with little Ian on her lap.

Andrea grinned and moved towards the fireplace, motioning for Marin to follow her.

Marin smiled slightly as she passed Lady Karrde in the kitchen, and followed Andrea to the fireplace. She'd been in this room before. Andrea had said where they were going was downstairs... but Marin didn't see a doorway...

Andrea silently answered her curiosity by placing her hand on a certain stone of the fireplace mantle. A moment later, a part of the panelling next to the fireplace started to slide back, revealing a staircase cut into the stonework.

Marin gasped, and traded a look with Andrea before her gaze went to the staircase. The air coming from the staircase was cool, and a bit moist. "I would never have known that was here..." she breathed after a moment of stunned silence. She stepped into the staircase, letting her eyes adjust to the low light.

Andrea led her carefully down the staircase by the hand. "Lights," she finally called out and saw that the soft illumination in the cavern began to brighten gradually to the settings that had been originally programmed, revealing the layout of the area.

As the illumination came up, Marin gasped. What caught her attention was the pattern of stones inlaid in the floor. It was the Master's Wheel, but here the design was more intricate. Seeing it brought back memories of the first time she'd seen the training circle at the praxeum. She had to bite her lip at the swell of sadness she felt then. It was a few moments as she took some slow breaths, trying to calm herself.

"Marin?" Andrea asked as she walked over to check her.

Marin looked up at Andrea's gentle question. "_Ni ceta..._" she said softly. "It brings back memories... seeing the Master's Wheel. Good ones, but..." she shrugged helplessly, at a loss to explain it. She reached up to tuck a few loose strands of hair behind her ear.

"This has been here for several hundred years," Andrea told her as she gestured to the old pattern. "Daddy began his training here, so did Ryneas and myself. A few other Jedi have worked and practiced here too."

Marin nodded. "I can... almost feel them... It's...comforting in a way..." she said after a moment. Then her gaze moved to the lightsaber in Andrea's hand. "I noticed Master Karrde suggested you bring that _jetii'kad.._..but isn't that a full-powered blade...?"

Andrea looked at it in her hand and nodded. "It is...I'm not exactly sure why he asked me to allow you to start learning it. But, I know that this blade has a particular history. Maybe that's why he chose it."

Marin looked at her curiously and sat down carefully on the edge of the master's wheel. "What kind of history...?"

Andrea moved to the center of the circle and ignited a pale blue blade and held it still as she regarded it for a few moments. "This was the lightsaber of a young student named Souvrin...I don't know his full name because he was killed before I was born. Just before my parents married, actually." She whirled it around a bit before she held it again. "Souvrin was my father's first padawan."

The color fascinated Marin, and she watched the blade as it spun. "What happened...?" she asked softly. She looked down for a moment, idly smoothing her tunic and skirt as she tried to settle her thoughts.

"Daddy was assigned by the High Council to investigate a series of pirate raids. They were starting to cause unrest in the neighboring start systems. As it turned out, it was supposed to be the beginnings of a _coup de'tat_ of the local systems set up by a senator from Sarafa," Andrea told her as she shut down the blade and sat on the floor next to Marin. "Father not only discovered this but that there were two Sith lords also behind this. One was in hiding among the High Council...the other had been a close friend of my father when he was a Jedi student."

Marin frowned. _'A close friend of Master Karrde's who'd become Siit, and a Siit hidden on the council...?'_ She gestured for Andrea to continue.

"Well, his friend confronted him while he and Souvrin were separated. Souvrin was waiting at the ship while Steffan went out. Welt...that was his name...fought and disabled daddy in the streets of the city they were in. Then...he went and ambushed Souvrin and killed him."

Marin gasped. _'It sounded almost like what had happened to Jarius...'_

"It is," Andrea told her, sensing the thought. "Welt had set it up as an ambush on both of them. He had also captured my mother and temporarily severed the connection through the Force that she and father share. Daddy confronted him here on Cataan...in the same clearing where you and the others did your hunt...and defeated him."

Marin's eyes widened at that. She'd felt something then, but at the time she couldn't put her finger on it. It made sense now. "I... did feel something during the hunt, but it was... elusive. Like a shadow..."

"It was a long fight between them, from what father had told me. It was the first Sith he ever had to duel against...and it just happened to be one he had considered his best friend."

That made Marin cringe in sympathy. _She could have hurt Jarod the other day..._ Just the thought of that stilled her for a moment. "I... sort of know how he must have felt then..." she said softly after a moment, tracing the embroidery on the hem of her tunic.

"There may be another connection as to why he chose this lightsaber then," Andrea said softly as she handed the hilt, pommel first, to Marin. "This is the first time this lightsaber has left his display case in almost twenty years."

That brought Marin's head up in surprise. She tried to still her fidgeting by clasping her hands in her lap, but it was hard. "Twenty ...years...?"

Andrea nodded and gestured towards the hilt.

Marin gazed down at it, noting the simple, angular lines of the hilt. It was... functional. Though she did note that the parts if the hilt fit together very well - almost seamlessly.

"Go ahead and familiarize yourself with it," Andrea told her. "But be careful. Souvrin didn't put any kind of control that adjusts the blade's intensity."

Marin looked up at Andrea a moment before she carefully took the blade from Andrea's hand. She stood and backed up a few steps, carefully holding the hilt's emitter away from her as she thumbed the activation plate. The blue blade appeared again; the snap-hiss and the thrum of the blade were deeper... she could almost feel the vibrations through her hand. She stared at the blade itself for a moment, noting that the color of it was close to the color of tunics Jarius was fond of wearing. After a few moments, she moved carefully into the first position of form IV, noting how the blade handled a bit differently than her training blade. "It feels like... it's heavier, and has more air resistance..."

"It will for a while," Andrea told her. "I had noticed it myself when I built my lightsaber and started to use it. I can't really explain 'why', but after a while, it'll feel as light as if using your bokken...later, it'll feel even lighter."

"Later?" Marin raised an eyebrow in surprise. "If he's wanting me to keep this one..." '_She couldn't possibly...' _She'd gotten a sense that Master Karrde held that blade in great respect.

"I'm speaking in general terms, Marin," Andrea said with a gentle smile. "I do not know what he's planning with this blade, whether it is for you for the moment or from this moment on. That is entirely up to him...and you. Now, what I want you to do is to start going through the katas I've shown you. This time, though, I want you to start focusing not just on your environment as we have done in the field but focusing through the lightsaber. Feel it and use it as an extension of yourself, if you can."

Marin flushed slightly and nodded as she began to slow her breathing, trying to settle her thoughts. Her breathing slowed, but she couldn't stop thinking about Jarius. She sighed and spread her feet slightly, her eyes drifting closed. It took her a minute or two, but she remembered the focusing exercise that Dilan had taught them on her first day. She used the same technique here. It could have been her imagination, but she felt the hilt warm slightly in her hands as she slowly began to move from first to the second position. It was a little clumsy at first, but slowly she began to feel more confident.

"Try not to fight channeling through the saber," Andrea told her as she kept her senses locked on Marin and the lightsaber. "Let it come naturally."

Marin breathed out, trying to release her frustration. It wasn't as easy for her to connect with the _jetii'kad_ as her connection with the bokken had been. _'Why is it so hard for me to make the connection? Even with my training saber I'd felt the...disconnect.' _She sighed focusing on the weight of the hilt in her fingers... the smoothness of the metal under her fingers...

And then she thought of something._ 'Maybe if I treat it as if it were one of my knives...' _She had a good connection with those because she used them all the time, and she'd spent time making them her own. A faint frown creased her forehead as that thought brought up thoughts of Jarius. She thought of the time he'd spent training her.

It still brought silent tears to her eyes when she thought of him, and they slid down her cheeks as she tried to hold onto that feeling that she had with her knives. Her fingers flexed a bit around the hilt of the lightsaber before they settled again. She breathed out, picturing herself in her mind, first with her knives, then her training saber. That helped a little.

Andrea could sense the difficulty she was having and kept watching with a close eye as Marin went through all the motions of the kata. She closed her eyes for a moment, sending a question to her father through the Force and reopened her eyes and continued to watch Marin work through the movements.

Slowly, Marin began the kata again. It still felt odd to her. With a sigh, she shifted her grip slightly, and reached out more with her senses, like she had in the forest. She'd been staying rather closed down since Jarius- she bit down on that thought as tears threatened again, and reached out again, hesitant as she let her awareness flow down her arms and into her hands, wrapping it around the hilt slowly. It was a strange feeling.

Andrea started to sense it and nodded her on.

Marin breathed out again and felt a tiny bit of the tension float away as she moved to the next position. In her mind, she saw again the deserted street, as the _Kyr'tsad_ began to materialize. Slowly, she began to move, seeing them come at her one by one, some with blasters, others with _beskade_. She felt a faint pulse in her mind... and then ripples as if something had started moving.

Andrea glanced over at the control panel she had activated and adjusted the timer and the number of remotes activated for the trial. That done, she turned her head back to Marin and quietly sent to her, _'There are three blaster remotes on a timer...overlay your thoughts of the Death Watch members on them...but use caution. I will terminate this test if you start acting out of anger and hatred.'_

Marin nodded, and dropped into a low stance, half kneeling on the stones of the Master's Wheel as she closed her eyes. _'Elek.' _she replied. _There were the ripples again... _In her mind, she saw the street again, the buildings off to the edge of her vision crumbling from age and damage. As she looked down the street, she saw two appear out of nothingness.

One with a blaster, the other with a _beskad_. She flexed her fingers around the hilt, breathing out to calm herself as she rose to a crouch. The one on the left came in, sweeping his blade down towards her neck. She rolled sideways, sweeping her leg out to catch him behind the knees. He stumbled slightly, and she rolled clear, her saber sweeping around to block a bolt from the other one who had aimed for her back.

"Keep your motions smooth and fluid," Andrea told her as she stood up and continued to watch the test play out. "Just as I showed you."

Marin nodded silently, reaching out again as she felt the faint ripples. The one with the _beskad_ came around again, sweeping his blade in from the right. Marin pulled her arm back, sweeping the lightsaber down to block, as she struck out with a left roundhouse kick to his ribs. He stumbled backward a few steps, holding his side for the moment.

The other came in again sweeping his ripper around to follow her movement, squeezing off a few shots. She felt the faint tingle at the base of her neck. In the next instant, she swept her blade around behind her, blocking two of the bolts before she switched the blade to her left hand. With her right, she reached out, and flicked her fingers away from her, sending the one wielding the _beskad_ skidding into the building to her right.

She saw him hit and lay there stunned for several moments. The one wielding a blaster popped off another few shots, varying his targets. The blade came up in her left hand, blocking the shot that would have hit her arm; then down to block the one to her knee._ But she missed one..._ She felt a sting as one of the bolts tagged her in the shoulder, and she stumbled slightly.

"Hold," Andrea called out, noting that the system controlling the remotes froze them in midair instantly as she looked to Marin. "These are on low power, but they can still surprise you the first time they hit. Are you okay?"

"I think so... it stings a little though... " She tried to remember some of what Callista had taught her about controlling the pain as she rubbed her shoulder for a moment.

"Well enough to continue?"

Marin nodded after a moment. "I think so." She stood and stretched for a moment before she settled in a ready stance.

Andrea nodded and considered adding an extra remote, but decided against it as she walked along the edge of the training circle. "Resume."

She felt the ripples again. In her mind, she saw the one with the blaster slap a fresh powerpack into place. He ducked behind behind one of the abandoned speeders, using it as cover as he took shots at her again. Marin breathed out in frustration, creeping forward slowly with her saber held ready.

Andrea kept watching every move that Marin made with the lightsaber. Her form wasn't as fluid as it had been previous times, but the Jedi took what had happened over the last few days into account and continued to see that she didn't let the wave that fell over her the night before affect her actions now as she deflected every bolt that was fired at her after recovering from the one hit she took.

It was several minutes more before she heard the chime from the panel and knew that the remotes would be flying back into their alcoves in a moment.

"Very good," Andrea told her as she walked up. "You were able to keep it under control the entire time."

Marin nodded. _She had been able to, yes... but it had been hard._ She lifted her left hand to her forehead and wiped away the light sheen of sweat there.

"Granted, I could tell it was difficult. I think you'll be able to gradually be better able to control it." She smiled as she motioned to the lightsaber. "Eventually, you'll be able to shed it completely."

Marin nodded again and sighed. Seeing that deserted street... it made her want to cry... She took a slow breath and breathed out again, reciting the Remembrance under her breath.

"Did you start to feel what I was telling you?" the Jedi asked her. "Did you start to feel the lightsaber as a part of you?"

"I did... a little. I've felt it before with my bokken, and a little bit with the training blade... but a lot more with my knives. So I took the feeling I get when working with my knives, and tried to get the same here. Not sure how well it worked though..." She nervously rubbed the back of her neck for a moment before she looked back up at Andrea.

Andrea nodded and thought about this. "Your knives..something you fashioned yourself, with your father's help?"

Marin nodded. "He'd helped me make a new set before he..." she stopped, feeling tears threaten again. She curled her fingers around the hilt, trying not to cry again. "_Ni...ceta_..." she said softly as she looked down at the floor, trying to get her emotions under control.

"Strength, Marin," Andrea said as she moved forward and placed a hand on her shoulder, sending ripples of comfort through the Force to her. "Don't dwell on the passing, let if flow out and through you. Hold on to the good memories. He hasn't left you fully," she told her. "As long as you keep those memories...he still lives in you."

Marin squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, whispering the Remembrance again as she thought of all the time she'd spent with Jarius. "_Ni su'cuyi, gar kyr'adyc. ni partayli, gar darasuum..._"

Andrea closed her eyes and focused more, channeling her support to Marin and did what she could to suppress the darkness that was wanting to claw its way out.

A few tears slid down Marin's cheek as she stood there. Yes, the sadness was there, but she was determined to help bring those _hut'uun'la kyr'tsad_ to justice._ Buir _deserved that much. It was a few moments before she sighed heavily and brushed her hand across her cheeks. "I'll be alright, I think..." she told Andrea quietly.

Andrea smiled and tucked some of Marin's hair behind her ear. "Yes, you will," she said quietly with her warmest smile. "I see that you certainly will."

Marin smiled - probably only the second time she had that day. There was still an ache in her heart, but it had lessened some. After a moment's thought, Marin reached over and slipped her fingers into Andrea's. "_Vor'e _for bringing me down here..."

"We both needed it," Andrea told her. "I think dad has been talking with the Council on something in particular...he's been telling me about it and asked my opinion. I wanted to get yours before he decides to say something about it."

Marin raised an eyebrow at that. "And... what would that be?"

"He knows that you have two paths to choose from since you're just as talented if not a little more so as any of the other students. Tradition usually is that at a certain point, the student can be apprenticed to an older Knight or Master to learn more closely from."

Marin bit her lip. She hadn't expected that. She frowned for a moment. Part of her wanted to follow the _Mando'ad_ path... but another part of her wanted to honor the promise she'd made to Master Karrde. With a sigh, Marin sank down to the stones of the Master's Wheel and gently pulled Andrea with her. She fidgeted slightly. "I... really don't know. Part of me wants to follow the _Mando'ad _path... But I also want to honor the promise that I made to your _buir_... and to mine. I told Master Karrde I would stay as long as he felt I needed to..."

"Precisely the point," Andrea told her. "He's not asking you to be apprenticed to him, Marin."

Marin frowned. "He's... letting me choose who I'd want to apprentice to... or what path...?"

"Ethan has agreed to continue your Mando training. For your Jedi training, he's asked me to be your master, if you'll accept."

Marin's eyes widened in surprise. She was quiet for a moment. "What if I wanted to do... _both_...?"

"Father knows as well as I do that you might consider that," Andrea said to her. "And if you choose both, I will teach you all that I can while you are here."

A grin spread across Marin's face. "I'd like that.. very much. Would allowances be made for training missions with _Et'ika_?"

"I will make them if you want to accept this."

Marin smiled again and surprised herself as she threw her arms around Andrea. "I accept!"

Andrea laughed as she pulled Marin into a hug. She couldn't help but think that she was probably like this herself once. "Alright," she said as she stood up. "I think father will be ready to see us upstairs in a little while."

Marin looked upward briefly. "They're still talking, aren't they...?" After a moment, she reached down and smoother her tunic and skirt. She found the color soothing, as it reminded her of Jarius.

"They are. We'll give them a little more time."

* * *

Steffan pulled up his holocom and punched in the channel he wanted. It took a few minutes, but Admiral Matther Payne's image appeared over his desk a moment later.

_"I'm not even sure I want to know all about the hornet's nest you apparently stirred up, Master Karrde,"_ he said with a slight smile.

"What are you talking about?" Steffan asked him.

_"First, I hear about a massive explosion in Seventh Battlegroup's area, then I see a chase going on with a YT-1930 that's been frequenting your area being followed by a _Firespray_-class and an X-wing registered to her Highness. Seeing said _Firespray_ fire pretty close to the 1930 and then all three leaving the sytem before returning a while later and landing on your pad."_

"And then see a flight leave here to that system and come back a while later," Steffan finished.

_"And then hearing news of a massive fight in the area of the explosion," the admiral finished. "Followed by a request from Captain Nagala to send what support cruisers I have that aren't being refitted to help him secure that system."_

Steffan looked at Ethan and Jarod before going on. "I was going to ask what the status of that was."

_"He's had _C.S.S. Arikine_ and her group along with the support I could send effectively covering the area. Nothing's getting off or going to that planet without us knowing about it."_

Ethan nodded. "That's good to hear, Admiral. We had a hard enough time getting in their ourselves. As to the YT-1930... that was a... personal matter." He looked to Steffan, wondering if he'd told Admiral Payne. Ethan wasn't afraid to tell the Admiral if he asked.

_"Funny,"_ the admiral said as he looked over. _"That's exactly what Master Karrde told me. I had my best squadron of fighters fixing to deploy before he called."_

Ethan glanced over at Karrde again. "Should I tell him, Karrde..?" Ethan asked quietly.

_"I'd just as soon not know," _Payne said, holding up his hand. _"We've been called in to assist the Jedi many times without questions, they can be left unasked this time around too. We've gotten additional word that there was a massive firefight on the surface, as I said. I take it you and your company were part of it."_

Ethan cleared his throat and nodded. "Since you know about that... I might as well tell you. You remember Jarius Durza...?" he asked carefully, watching the Admiral's expression. "Trust me, sir... what I'm about to tell you will explain _quite_ a bit..."

_"I heard about what happened with the family years ago,"_ Payne said. _"We were coordinating with his unit when we got the word about it."_

Ethan nodded again. "He's been tracking Death Watch the last few years. A standing order from the _Mand'alor._ Three days ago, from what Karrde tells me, he received a call from someone claiming to be able to show Durza where the Death Watch was hiding. The coordinates he was given were to that planet you have now blockaded."

Ethan paused and took a breath. "From what we were able to discover, he was lured into a trap by the Death Watch. There was an area on that planet of about a two-block radius that was utterly destroyed. Baradium we think. Jarius was killed in the blast. We recovered but a few pieces of his armor, and only then because his daughter knew their shape."

"As to the chase with the 1930... that was his ship, the _Tracinya_. It had returned to Cataan, using his daughter's comlink as a beacon. She took control of the vessel, and was trying to make for home." he turned to Karrde to finish out the rest, as he was never good with the emotional stuff.

"Marin's taken his death hard," Karrde told the admiral. "Real hard...he was all she had."

_"Then I fully understand the situation," _Payne said as he looked offscreen for a moment. _"I'm actually preparing to send the rest of my battlegroup out now...I may just send a few more ships that way."_

Ethan nodded. "A good idea. We don't know how many of the Death Watch were still on the planet when we pulled out last night, or what else they have in the way of materiel. It does concern me though that they were so close to Cataan."

_"You think it has **you** concerned?"_ Payne asked him. _"Mando, if, or when, High Command learns that Death Watch was operating in Cataani Space, your enemies will be lucky if we don't bring all _**seven** _battlegroups down on them."_

Ethan grinned at him, and it was slightly predatory. "When you do, I have a contingent from Mandalore as well as a few _Jetiise_ -" this with a glance at Karrde, "that have volunteered to help in whatever the Cataani military needs in that regard."

Steffan looked over at Ethan and saw that grin and looked to the admiral. "Keep me in the loop, admiral. You have my direct comm frequency."

_"Aye, Master Jedi,"_ Payne said as his image faded away.

"Interesting," Steffan said, "All seven groups."

Ethan raised his eyebrows in appreciation. "I wasn't expecting that either..."

"Especially if you know how many ships that is," Steffan said as he looked at Jarod. "Your thoughts?"

Jarod had been silent during the exchange, but now he sat forward with his hands on his knees as he thought a moment. "What has me concerned, Master... is that from all accounts, it looks like Jarius was traced here... as if they've been watching and waiting for an opportunity..."

"Which means they may have been watching over the entire praxeum," Steffan said. "If they were able to get this close..." He shook his head. "They really will want to bring all seven groups down on their heads."

Jarod frowned. "Is there anything the praxeum can do to help?" he grew silent a moment, feeling a faint pulse from Marin from downstairs. "I know Marin is determined to bring them to justice - and not just for her father's sake, either..."

"There are only a few students that I would consider close to being ready to handle a task like this," Steffan said as he sat down. "You are certainly among them. Bran, Koya, and Tara would be as well...maybe a few of the others. But not many...certainly not the Corellians that Senator Isbill asked me to begin training here."

That got Jarod's attention. "Why not, Master?"

Steffan looked at him. "You know as well as I that they have only recently started their training. Corellians or not, they are not ready."

"I see your point, Master." Jarod bowed his head a moment in apology. "I guess my next question would be; what can those of us who _are_ ready do to help? I know Marin will want to help... and I think it's better if she does. The more of her friends who are there to support her will help a great deal."

"And they shall," Steffan told him. "I've also thought some additional measures that will help her out while she's dealing with this. Your support is invaluable, Jarod, and I thank you for it. She'll need another kind now."

Jarod nodded. "How exactly do you mean, Master?"

The doors to his study opened a moment after his question and Steffan looked to see Andrea standing there with Marin next to her. "And?" he asked.

"She did well," Andrea told him. "And she has accepted the invitation to become my padawan."

"Very good," Steffan said as he stood up.

"Wait just a..." Ethan started to say as he got up. "You said that I would continue to train her."

"You **_both_ **will," Steffan said as he closed the distance and looked at Ethan with a knowing and encouraging smile. "Marin will be allowed to go on missions with you. Andrea accepted that point."

"I see," Ethan said as he nodded to Steffan's daughter. "I apologize then, Highness."

Andrea smiled warmly. "Coming from a Mandalorian, I know that means a lot," she said as she looked down at Marin.

"And you fully understand that all your training will be with her now?" Steffan asked her.

Marin nodded. There was a brief flash of disappointment at not having any more lessons with Master Karrde, but her excitement outweighed it quickly. "I do, Master Karrde." she said after a moment, with a glance towards Ethan.

Steffan looked down at his former padawan's lightsaber in her hand. "How does it feel in your grip?"

Marin flushed slightly. "I'm still getting used to it, but it's not as strange as I thought it would be." She looked up at Andrea with a smile, remembering how she'd related it to her knives.

"For right now, continue to use it for your training. When she feels you are ready, you can start constructing your own."

Marin gasped, her eyes huge. She knew what that lightsaber meant to him. After a moment, she bowed. "I am honored, Master Karrde."

He nodded then looked to Jarod then to Ethan before he looked at his chronometer on the wall. "The events of the last few days have been tiring on us all. Let's get some rest and wait for Xan and Callista to return before we reconvene."


	32. Chapter 32

Steffan had made it known to the students that those that wished to ride with his family and Marin to the site where Jarius would be laid to rest were to be assembled and ready when they rode up.

When they came through the main entrance to the praxeum, Steffan was pleased to see that every member of the praxeum was mounted on horseback and started to ride to them in a double file with Marin and Jarod in front of the column. He looked to Jade who had a warm smile and to Ryneas and Catharine as they rode up to join the students.

“I’m glad to see that all are here,” he told Jarod and Marin as they joined up. “With me, everyone.”

He turned and Jade rode up to his right with Ryneas and Catharine following behind them. Marin and Jarod lined behind them and the rest of the students followed suit. It wasn’t unlike the procession that they'd used when traveling to the challenge that they had accepted and won, but it was a more solemn purpose this day.

Befitting the occasion, the students had donned the formal attire of the praxeum; the black trousers or skirt with the royal blue tunics in the wrap style that was common among Jedi. Marin once again wore a black skirt, and a dark tunic with the Beviin clan sigil embroidered in the blue matching the tunics Jarius had worn on the left breast. She wasn't sure how they'd even gotten into her closet; perhaps something Jarius had left for her before he'd left on that last mission.

Further down the trail, Dilan and his wife Kara met with them. Their daughter, Jenai, was too young to be riding in the saddle with either of her parents so she was nestled in the pack that Kara had across her chest to keep her safe. They joined up and rode in file behind Steffan and Jade, as he was the oldest child...adopted or not.

Marin wondered why Andrea had not met up with them yet and stayed curious about that while they rode. She had done some research with Jarod’s help and had a strand of her hair braided in the tradition of a Jedi Padawan now. Jarod reached out and gave her hand a gentle squeeze to let her know he was there as they rode.

Her question was answered later as they reached the site that had been chosen for the memorial. Jarius was a former Marine that had served his planet faithfully and with complete honor as a son of Edmonton. The village…in fact, the Marine Corps and His Majesty himself…had felt that he deserved to be laid to rest with others from Edmonton who had given their lives for their people and way of life.

Andrea and Edward were waiting for them at the place that Steffan had picked for him. Andrea had taken to wear a more solemn dress for this occasion and Edward had chosen the dress black uniform of the Naval service with no decorations on the breast. Ian was standing with them and Andrea had to hold him to keep from running to his grandparents as Steffan raised his hand to stop the column and motioned for them to halt and dismount outside the entrance to the grounds.

Most of the students stayed around the edge of the grounds while Bran, Koya, Tara, and several others walked with Marin, Jarod and the Karrdes out towards where the rest were waiting. Bran, Koya, and Tara held back while the rest met with Andrea and Edward and exchanged greetings.

Marin looked to see where her father’s final resting place lay, and felt sorrow well up again. Jarod noticed it and took her hand in his as he looked at her and tried to smile for her. But what got her attention was not the stone that was placed there with his name in Cataani script chiseled into it…but the stone next to it that had the name of his wife. She gasped and turned to Jarod who nodded and whispered, “Families of service members are laid to rest with them.”

Marin nodded, and squeezed Jarod's hand, her fingers shaking slightly. She reached up to grasp Jarius' tags with her free hand, tracing the engraving with her thumb as she looked out over the small cemetery. The polished black stone markers stretched across the grass like an ordered military formation.

A short time later, Steffan started to hear the sound of pipes in the distance. He looked to Edward, who nodded to him, and back towards the road to Edmonton and saw the colors start to appear from the edge of the clearing. Colonel Taylon was in the lead of the procession of all the members of Jarius’s former unit, the color guard behind him bearing the flags of the unit, the Corps, and the Cataani royal flag. There were two behind them playing the pipes that Steffan had heard and four behind them playing drums in a slow rhythm. Following them were the rest of the unit in a double column, the four in the lead with blaster rifles at shoulder arms.

Between the columns of the unit members was a horse drawing the carriage that had the casket on it, with the Cataani flag draped over it. The Marines also wore their dress uniforms for this event, the same cut as the one Edward wore, but in a dark olive color…their insignia, rank bars, and service medals glinting in the sunlight as they marched at the pace set by the drummers into the grounds. They slowed as they got closer to the spot that was picked for the service.

“Detail……._halt_!” Taylon called as the entire unit stopped two paces later. He turned to the unit sharply and looked at them, then turned and walked out in a sharp step towards where the rest were gathered. He stopped and saluted to Edward and Andrea. “Highnesses, Marine detail present and ready to proceed.”

“With your permission, Marin,” Edward asked as he looked to her. She hesitated, unsure if there was anything to say, but nodded to him as he looked back to the Colonel. “You may proceed with the ceremony, Colonel.”

“Aye, sire,” Taylon said as he turned around to face his unit. “Honor guard…form ranks.”

The three that carried the colors moved behind Edward and Andrea while the ones who had played the processional music stayed with them. The four that carried arms waited where they stood until eight men moved up, four on each side of the casket, and gently picked it up and took it off of the carriage. The entire unit marched up now, the men under arms moving off to the side as the eight that carried the casket moved up and placed it on the mounts that would slowly lower it to the bottom. The rest of the detail moved to encircle the rest of the mourners and stood at parade rest.

“Most of us here served with Jarius for many years,” Taylon said as he stood there at the head of the casket. “He slept, trained, fought and bled with us through many times. Jarius was one of us, through and through. All of us mourned with him when he lost his wife and unborn child and none of us held no ill thought of him when he went to search for those responsible. He has been in all of our thoughts for a long time."

"When I heard that he had been able to move on, and had taken another under his wing as a daughter, I was happy that the Lady had smiled upon him again. When I heard of this event, it pained me to know that our comrade…._our friend_ was gone. But I take solace in the fact that he has rejoined his first family now. That his daughter is here and still able to carry on for him…and that we will be able to see him again….”

“Burial detail,” the Sergeant that had the most decorations on his uniform called out from where he stood. “Attend our comrade.” The eight men marched up to the casket and brought the flag up sharply to start folding it. They continued slowly and paid complete attention to detail as they crisply folded it and finished it and checked to make sure everything was set right. When that was finished, the senior Marine of the eight took the flag to Colonel Taylon and saluted. Taylon returned the salute and started to turn towards Marin as the Sergeant that had called for the salute spoke again.

“Honor guard,” he called out. “Left…_face_.”

The four turned sharply on their heel towards the left.

“Ready.”

As one, they pulled the charging handle on their rifles to activate them and set the chambers of them.

“Aim.”

They brought the rifles up to their shoulders, aiming out over the spot and the rest of the group assembled there.

“_Fire_.”

The four fired at the same time, the sounds of the shots making the children that were present to jump…they were not used to the sound yet. The four brought the rifles down quickly as the command was given again.

“Aim…._Fire_. Aim…._Fire_,” the sergeant called again, the four members of the armed guard repeating the first firing two more times.

“Present,” the sergeant called to all members, dragging out the word. “_Arms_!”

All of the Marines saluted as one of the pipers started to play a call out on his pipes for a few moments. Taylon, through this, walked to Marin in a respectful fashion and went to one knee as he presented the folded flag to her since she was his daughter. “On behalf of this unit, the Royal Marine Corps, and the Cataani people, who are grateful…you have our condolences.”

Marin looked across at him for a moment as he held the folded flag between them. The black satin of the flag gleamed faintly in the sun as she reached out to touch it with her fingers. The Cataani Royal Seal was centered in the portion of the folded flag that was facing towards her, the gold leafing surrounding the royal blue of the Seal itself.

[Thank you, Colonel..] she said softly in Cataani. She stared down at the flag for a moment, her fingers gently brushing his as she took the flag from him. She was shocked by the depth of his own sorrow, and she gripped his hand for a moment as she fought tears again. After a moment, she released his hand and watched as he stood again, making his way back to the rest of the detail.

Cradling the flag in her right arm, she approached the casket where it rested in the lowering device. The sun picked out the embroidery on the left chest of her tunic, revealing the Beviin sigil of the stylized lance surrounded by a plain circle with the clan name above it in _Mando'a_ characters.

She sank to one knee and laid her left hand against the smooth wood of the casket, bowing her head for a moment as she whispered the words of the Remembrance. "_Ni su'cuyi, gar kyr'adyc, ni partayli, gar darasuum, buir..._" She stayed there for a moment, her eyes closed before she lifted her head, brushing her hair back over her shoulders, leaving her Padawan braid visible. She then rose and went back to Jarod, tears sliding silently down her cheeks.

Jarod took her into his arms and held her close as Steffan walked over and quietly thanked Edward and Taylon for the effort they had put into this. There was another sound that he was starting to hear as he was thanking them and it made him curious as he turned his head to the direction it was coming from. It made him more curious because it was the gentle roar of a set of ion engines in the atmosphere.

Slowly, Marin looked up. Above them, she spotted the outline of not one..... but _four_ Nighthawks. She'd never seen them before, but she knew what they were. She looked to Master Karrde with a faint expression of confusion.

Steffan stood still as he watched the four Nighthawks coming in over the cemetery, low enough for the group to see them coming. As soon as they passed over them, the lead fighter pulled up in a steep climb as the other three stayed on course. The Jedi Master knew the missing man formation when he saw it and he looked over to Colonel Taylon...he hadn't expected it.

"Captain Dannic of the Blackhawks," the Marine told him. "He had to bail out over an skirmish zone we were dealing with years back when he was still a junior officer and Jarius' squad had located him and got him out. When he heard about what happened from Admiral Payne, he wouldn't take 'no' for an answer on his request to fly the formation."

Marin straightened. _'Who was this Captain Dannic, that he would do such a thing for her father...?'_ She gripped Jarod's left hand firmly as she made her way slowly across the grass to the two men. When she reached them, she bowed politely to the Colonel, again brushing her hair over her shoulder. She'd worn it loose for the funeral.

Taylon had seen the look in her eyes as the Nighthawks flew overhead and looked at her now. "Curious?"

Marin nodded. "I am, Colonel...." she replied softly, still holding Jarod's hand tightly.

Taylon knelt down and looked up at the formation. "The flight lead that started the climb is the group commander for one of our battle group's fighters, bombers and support craft. When he was younger, he had to eject in a combat action we were in. Your father was close by and saw the ejection and was able to find him."

Marin's eyes widened at that. "_Buir_...saved him...?" she asked quietly, as her gaze followed the formation as it disappeared over the treeline and out of sight. Once they'd gone, she looked back at the Colonel, her left hand fussing with Jarius' tags for a moment.

"Aye," Taylon told her as he stood back up. "He was able to get him to safety."

"As I recall," the Sergeant in charge of the detail said behind her, "That pilot got an entire case of ale for the outfit too."

Marin turned around to look at him, and she couldn't help the grin that started to spread across her face. "That's just like _buir_...." she replied quietly. He always did like to share the _netra'gal_ when he could.

"Colonel," the Sergeant said to him. "Permission to dismiss the detail so that we can finish giving him a proper send-off."

"Master Sergeant," Taylon said as he looked at the NCO. "That has to be the best idea that I have heard all day. Miss Durza, would you and your party care to join the festivities?"

Marin's eyes widened, and she grinned a little with a glance towards Master Karrde for permission. "Certainly, Colonel." She wasn't very familiar with Cataani customs for such an event as this, but something told her it would be memorable.

"I would hope so," Steffan interjected, catching all of their attention. "I had the staff at the praxeum prepare for a wake and I'd hate for you Marines to not think of one."

"Then its time to hoist them, then," Taylon said as he looked to the Sergeant and nodded. The Master Sergeant turned to look at the rest of the unit. "Detail, the wake will be held at Master Karrde's request on Mt. Adan. Anyone of you that I don't see there will have me to answer to, understand?"

The entire unit hollered out the saying they always did and stood to attention with a salute. 

"Detail," Taylon said to them. "_Dismissed_!"


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haili cetare - eat up! Lit. fill your boots.  
mir'osik - impolite comment regarding the contents of one's brain.

With the wake over, Marin had slipped away to her room for a few minutes of quiet time. It was strange to have so many people about, even if they had known her father. Jarod followed her up to her room and sat with her for a while as she held Jarius' helmet. For her, it was the only tangible piece of him she had. They were silent for a while, just holding each other as she cried some more.

A while later, she got up and began to pack a few things into a duffel. She knew at some point, she'd be returning home to take Jarius' helmet to its final resting place. She already had a spot picked out. Ethan came up to her room as she was putting the final items into her duffel. "Whenever you're ready, _Mar'ika._..." he said quietly, with a nod to Jarod. He waited outside politely so they could have a few moments.

When he'd gone, Jarod pulled her close and kissed her gently. "Travel safe. I know you're just going home, but still." He squeezed her shoulders gently and held her close.

"I will..." Marin told him quietly as she leaned against him for a long moment. She didn't want to let go. Andrea had given her two days' leave to go home and to handle whatever she needed there before she was to return and resume her training. In all honesty, Marin was.. a bit reluctant to go home. Too many reminders of Jarius. But, in her heart, she knew that's what she needed. IF she kept something of him close by, he would never be gone. She was taking Jarius'_ buy'ce_ home, and she had just the place to put it.

With a sigh, she leaned up on her toes to give Jarod a gentle kiss and squeeze his hand before she hefted her duffle. "I'll be back in two days," she said softly before she turned towards the hall and Ethan. He was waiting just outside her door, and took her duffle, shaking his head when she protested.

"Don't worry over it, _Mar'ika_. We'll be back before you know it." He patted her shoulder for a moment before they turned down the hall and made their way to the courtyard. He'd seen how she and Jarod had been almost inseparable lately, but this was necessary.

The ride down to the Karrdes' was quiet, each lost in their own thoughts as they focused on what was to come. Ethan's ship sat out on the landing pad waiting for them. He dismounted, tossing his reins to Ryneas and shouldering Marin's duffel as he strode towards the ship. Marin was a bit slower to follow, and she still held Jarius' _buy'ce_ in her hand.

Ethan was waiting for her at the top of the ramp as she stepped through the hatch. He waved to Ryneas and sealed the hatch before making his way to the cockpit. "Your duffel's in the spare quarters, _Mar'ika_. I understand if you want to rest. You're welcome to join me in the cockpit if you like."

Marin nodded. "I think... I could use some rest..." she said quietly.

Ethan nodded. "I'll wake you when we get there, then." And with that, he was gone.

Marin turned down the cramped corridor and made her way to the spare quarters, curling up on the bunk. It wasn't long before she was asleep.

* * *

The next thing she knew, Ethan was shaking her awake. "We're here, _Mar'ika_...." Marin nodded and sat up on the edge of the bunk, rubbing the grittiness from her eyes. A moment later, Ethan handed her a steaming mug of _behot_. She sipped it slowly and slowly could feel the sleep-induced fog fading from her brain.

"There are a couple of things I'd like to do while we're here, _Mar'ika_. However, I'm sure there are a few you'd like to do as well. I'll let you attend to those first." He rose and took her empty mug back to the galley, leaving her alone for the moment.

With a sigh, Marin scrubbed her face with her palms before she rose and grabbed her duffle, carrying it through the corridor, down the boarding ramp, and into the house. It was just as she remembered from the last time she'd been here - but it was quiet. She moved down the hall to her room and set the duffel on her bed before she pushed the door closed with her foot.

The duffel dropped to the floor with a muffled thump as Marin began undressing. Two minutes later, she stood under the hot spray in the 'fresher, letting the water soothe away the aches in her muscles. It didn't do anything for the ache in her heart though. She scrubbed clean and stepped out of the 'fresher, toweling off before she pulled on a clean tunic and skirt. These were in the color Jarius usually wore when not in his _beskar'gam_.

She brushed out her hair, the strokes slow and measured as she turned it into a meditation of sorts. When all the tangles were out, she carefully braided her hair, leaving her Padawan braid hanging behind her right ear. She rose from the bed, and picked up Jarius' helmet, cradling it in her hands for a moment.

With slow, thoughtful steps, she lit a candle and moved down the hall to the small room which held a shrine to the Lady. Setting the helmet down on the altar, she took her candle, lighting the one in the alcove behind the altar before she moved on to light the rest. The flickering shadows cast by the candle flames were soothing.

She knelt carefully in front of the altar, placing her single candle in the empty holder. For a long moment, she just stared into the flickering flame, becoming lost in it. Then she settled her hands in her lap, and let her mind go still. it wasn't easy. Her eyes drifting closed, she focused on all the time they'd spent together - training, celebrating, and just being together. It didn't make the pain any less, but she found it comforting. She said a few words in Cataani - a simple prayer she had learned, before she once again spoke the Remembrance.

As the last of the whispered words faded, Marin rose to her feet, gently taking up Jarius' helmet. She moved across the room to a smaller alcove, this one empty. Her fingers shook slightly as she placed the helmet within, orienting it so that the black visor faced into the room. Slipping her hand inside her tunic, she withdrew a small lascutter. She dialed the power back, turning it into an etching tool.

Her hand shook slightly as she brought it up to level with the plaque that had been placed below the alcove. After a couple deep breaths, her hand stilled. Then she began to move the lascutter carefully, using the finely-tuned beam to etch a line of text into the plate, both in _Mando'a_ and Cataani: _Jarius Durza - Beloved father and warrior._

With that finished, she turned off the lascutter, and slipped it back into her tunic before she sat down to meditate, facing the alcove. She remained like that for almost an hour, no sound in the room except for her soft breathing and the whispered words of a prayer. She rose finally, her knees a bit stiff as she made her way around the room, extinguishing the candles before she slipped out of the room and closed the door.

The smell of food greeted her, drawing her to the kitchen where she found Ethan. He'd removed his armor and was dressed now in a well-worn flight suit and boots. He heard her footsteps on the wood and turned to look at her. His face was solemn, but he smiled. "I hope you're hungry, _Mar'ika_. I've got grillcakes and nausages, along with a pot of _behot_." He slid a loaded plate across the counter to her before he set a steaming mug in front of her. "_Haili cetare_, _Mar'ika_. You'll need the energy for later."

Marin smiled. She had an idea of what they might be doing. Her guess turned out to be correct when Ethan sent her to change into one of her older coveralls. "We'll be working with _beskar, Mar'ika_. Wouldn't want to ruin the clothes you have on..." he told her with a smile.

When she'd changed, he took her into the workshop. He's already laid out the plates that Marin had brought back with her. He took Jarius' chestplate and began to outline what they were going to do, guiding her through the heating process before they began hammering away at the metal. The noise echoed through the shop, but it was... satisfying.

After a few hours, the newly formed plate had cooled and rested on the workbench. It had been trimmed down and formed to fit her. It would replace her current chestplate. Ethan left the painting up to her. She painted it to match her current armor, with a few notable additions.

To her right shoulder bell, she added the Beviin sigil, painting it in careful strokes with a small brush. Down the right side of the chestplate, she painted a red stripe - over where her heart would be. Ethan nodded in approval, his right hand gently squeezing her shoulder before he went back to tidying up the workshop.

* * *

With her room finished, and the laundry cleaned and put away, Marin finally moved back down the hall towards Jarius' room. She'd never been in here. Jarius was a very private man. _Shab_, she'd known he was ex-military, but he'd never told her much more than that until after what Bran had shared with her.

Her fingers shook slightly as she turned the old-fashioned handle and pushed the door open. As she stepped over the threshold, she inhaled slightly. The air was slightly stale, but it still carried a faint hint of the scents that she'd come to associate with him: the slightly musky and crisp scent of the forest, and the pungent scent of starship fuel.

She moved slowly into the room, noting how the room was arranged. The bed took up a portion of the north wall with the end facing out into the room. The wall to left of the bed featured a desk built into it, surrounded by floor to ceiling bookshelves. There was a small computer terminal on the desk. Along the wall to the right of the bed stood an old wooden cabinet. The wall opposite the bed featured a 'fresher.

But it was what was on the walls that caught her attention. On the three walls not occupied by shelves, there were many old-style photos and a few still holos. She set down the clean sheets on the end of the bed, and moved slowly around the room, looking at each of them. There were several of her, but there were more of Jarius. And in most of them, he was in a Marine uniform. She knew what it was now after seeing Colonel Taylon and the burial detail.

When she'd finished looking at the various pictures, she began to strip the bed. She began to put on the clean sheets, tucking the edges of the sheet neatly under the mattress as he had taught her. Then, she spread the top sheet, smoothing it with her hands as she folded it sharply at the corners before tucking it in.

It was as she was spreading the blankets again that she bumped something off the shelf that was part of the headboard. The object fell to the floor, and she bent to pick it up, turning it over in her fingers. It was a small holoprojector. Sinking down onto the bed, she turned it right side up in her palm and pressed the switch.

The image that flickered into existence brought tears to her eyes. She wasn't sure who had taken it, but she recognized where it was. It had been taken shortly after their arrival on Cataan. She stood next to Jarius, her skirt blown slightly askew by a slight breeze. He wore his normal blue tunics, his vibroblade on his left hip. He had his right arm around her shoulders. _She remembered that day..._

It was a long moment before she moved again, lifting her free hand to wipe at the tears that slid down her cheek. She stared down at the image for a long moment, her fingers tightening around the base of the holoprojector. After a deep breath, she flicked if off and slipped it into the pocket of her coverall.

She rose from the edge of the bed with a sigh, the slightly ajar door of the wooden cabinet catching her eye. Crossing the room, she pulled it open all the way. What she saw made her gasp. She saw the open shelf at the top. It was now empty. If she stood up on her toes, she could just see the faint scuff marks on the smooth wood from the bottom edge of his helmet.

In the lower portion of the cabinet, the left side held several spare coveralls like he usually wore under his _beskar'gam_, along with a couple of pairs of well-worn boots. On the right side..... she looked over and gasped. The right-hand side held two or three hangers whose contents had been carefully sealed in airtight plastic. In the bottom right of the closet, she spied one pair of heavy combat boots, and a pair of well-shined dress shoes, also sealed.

Carefully, she pulled the first of the sealed garments closer, peering at it through the clear plastic. It was his Marine dress uniform. The ribbons and medals glinted faintly in the overhead light, muted slightly by the sealed plastic. She was surprised by the sheer amount of medals that lay against the dark green fabric. She stared down at it for a long time, tears coming to her eyes. He'd never told her... and now she'd never get to ask.

* * *

Ethan brought the old _Firespray_ out of orbit and punched in the course he needed. He didn't say much as he watched the timer countdown. When it reached zero, he pulled down on the hyperdrive lever and watched the starlines start to form as the ship went into hyperspace. "We've got a few hours before we're back at Cataan," he said as he checked everything then turned to where Marin was sitting off to his right.

For a moment, Marin stared out at the star-streaks before her gaze slid to Ethan. She was still trying to come to grips with all that had happened. Her fingers brushed Jarius' tags for a moment. There was something in Ethan's voice. He'd been a bit... distant since breakfast, and she couldn't put her finger on it.

"I'm only going to say this once... and I feel that I only have to say it once," he said as he looked at her, not hard... but in a mentor's perspective. "Don't _ever_ go off like you did several days ago. One, you don't have the training to go after _kyr'tsad_. Two, you went off with the wrong mindset. You completely disregarded the advice of three people who know what they're talking about. Understand?"

Marin swallowed..._hard_. His voice wasn't menacing, but it still gave her goosebumps. She opened her mouth to reply, but then closed it as she shifted in her seat. After a moment, she nodded, but she wasn't really looking at him.

"Okay," he said as he reached out and held her hand for a moment. "We're both hurting, but we're going to work together on this. Jarius showed you quite a bit...I'm going to show you a lot more to get you ready."

_That_ got her to look at him. She wasn't used to that. He had always seemed rather... aloof. She bit her lip, her fingers nervously tracing Jarius' tags. Force, it made her chest ache again. It made her want to hide...... She drew her knees up and rested her chin atop them. "_Et'ika_... I don't know what came over me. I still feel responsible..." she mumbled, thinking of the letter Jarod had found.

"You can't dwell on that," he told her. "I'm sure that Karrde will tell you that that is lesson one. As much as we both want to change what happened, we can't. It is done. What you need to focus on now is training. Pure training...because when its time, those _mir'osik_ are going to wish they had either never heard of _Kry'tsad_, joined it, or never been born. With me?"

Marin nodded, finally looking up at him. "But how can we do that without following the same path _buir_ did.....?"

"There's a difference...not much of one, but there is one," Ethan said as he turned to look at panel readouts for a moment. "We take them out and we do it for everything they have done and every life they have hurt. Don't let your hurt drive you when we do this. You do that....and you come close to that line again."

Marin flinched almost as if he had slapped her. She had already walked that line once. It had felt good at the time, but then she'd begun to realize how much she had hurt those closest to her. She stared down at her hands for a moment before she answered this time. "I want to do it for all the families that have been torn apart... and because I want to finish what _buir_ was trying to do....rid the galaxy of those_ mir'osik_. All they bring is pain..."

"Now you're thinking as you should," he told her. "Now, what do you think I need to show you first? Where do you think your weaknesses are right now?"

She frowned for a moment in thought. She could definitely use a little more time with the remotes, or even a live person. Blocking blaster bolts with her _jetti'kad_ was still a bit sloppy. She let out a breath. "Well, I'm good at hiding myself in the Force, but could still use some work on the physical aspects of that... and I'm trying to rely only on my ability when I need to and use conventional means. Kinda keeping that in reserve unless necessary..." she clarified.

"It won't take much work on that," he said as he recalled the trial he'd put her through. "You were doing well in that regard. How's your aim."

Marin shrugged. "Could be better. It's not bad. I did manage to nail a few _kyr'tsad_ back on the colony."

"We'll work on that first thing when I get back. I've got to make a run to _Manda'yaim_ and discuss what happened with a few people."

She raised an eyebrow. "Why can't I go with you?"

"First things first," Ethan told her. "You have a training schedule. That is what is important."

Marin sighed and sank back into her seat, Ethan was right. And she had agreed to it. She frowned. "I just....." she played with her Padawan braid for a moment. "I'm finding it difficult to mesh the two paths at times...." she admitted after a moment.

"It can be done, Marin. If ever you have trouble with it...or think you do, you know who you can get in touch with."

She smiled slightly. "They're always so busy, though..."

"She'd make time...I'm sure if her sister, your master, called, she'd see about helping."

That brought a smile to Marin's face. "I'd like that. I can tell they're very close."

"That, they are," Ethan said as he turned back to the controls. "Your master is a good teacher and Callista is quite a fighter."

Marin flushed slightly. "How.... did you meet Callista anyway...?" she asked after a moment, still playing with her padawan braid.

"I was skeptical of her abilities as a hand-to-hand fighter after I heard from Xan that she was _Jetiise_ and she offered a challenge," Ethan said as he didn't look in her direction. "Needless to say, I adapted my evaluation of the woman."

Marin grinned slightly. "Not all _Jetiise_ are philosophers, _Et'ika_.... "

"Never said that," he said. "Believe me, I know that. Karrde and several others are _Jetiise_ that you do not want as an opponent."

Marin flushed at his gentle rebuke and ducked her head slightly. "When Master Karrde returned from Msst.... I felt a change in him. He is a formidable warrior. What I know of his history, and participating in the challenge from the _Dar'ha_ school showed me that."

"There's more than you probably know," he said as he looked at her. "I personally hadn't seen him fight, but I have heard from others that he has seen more battle than even some of us Mandos."

"Of that, I have no doubt...." Marin said quietly, remembering some of Andrea's story.


	34. Deleted Scene #1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a deleted scene that was not included in the original story. I have included it here for it's interesting dynamic and descriptive quality. I am not sure precisely where it fits in the storyline, but I would think during the time Jarius spends at the praxeum before heading for Galan.

"Any idea how this got started?" Steffan asked as he ducked a swing and threw an uppercut towards the one that had come with it.

"I don't know," Jarius said as he put another in a headlock and rammed his fist against him several times. "I saw it start at the bar, next thing I know, the whole place erupts into one large fight. I think we got separated from the others."

"You boys still talking during all of this?" Ethan asked as he threw one over a table and started decking the next one. "Come on, you act as if this is serious."

"And you don't?" Steffan asked as he flipped one over his shoulder onto the floor and drove a fist into the solar plexus to take him out of the fight.

"This is fun!" Ethan answered as he punched another out of the way. "You know how long its been since I've had a brawl?"

Jarius chuckled. "Oh, I have some idea... now where the _Fierfek _did Marin get to?" He ducked another punch and then grabbed the offending arm, twisting it, and driving its owner to the floor with a curse of pain.

Marin was on the other side of the bar, only her dagger as a weapon as she faced off against someone about Ethan's size. The man lunged at her, and Marin cursed, twisting out of his way, only to drive an elbow to his solar plexus. Her victory was short-lived however when she felt a pair of strong arms pin her so she couldn't move. She squirmed, cursing in _Mando'a_... words Jarius didn't know she knew, and would probably earn her a week of chores if he'd heard her.

The man that had her pinned started to grin until a kick landed hard across his jaw. Teeth flew out as the man's head spun around, falling back.

"That's not how you treat a lady," Jarod said as he ducked another swing but dropped and swept his attacker's legs out from under him. "You alright?" he asked Marin as he helped her up.

"_Lek_... yeah... _vor'e_ to you.." she wheezed for a moment but then grinned at him. "I think Master Karrde, _Jar'ika_, and _Et'ika_ are on the other side of the bar..." Her words we cut short as she felt someone coming up behind her. On pure reflex, she spun, shoving the man's arms wide, and pulled on his shirt, bringing his nose to meet her knee. "_Shassa_, I hate being short..."

"There are advantages to that," Jarod said as he hit his next attacker in the kidneys, followed by a hard strike to the armpit, hitting a pressure point, and another blow to the side of the neck. He went down like a stone.

"I suppose..." she answered contemplatively after a moment, barely avoiding another grab. She seized the offending wrist and pulled her attacker forward, glad of her _beskar_-soled boots as she drove her foot into his knee. She heard a sickening crack, and her attacker went down screaming curses in Huttese.

"Is there any end to these guys?" Jarius asked as he slammed his palm into the chin of the next one in line and another into his Adam's apple.

"It does look someone picked a fight with a bunch of folks," Steffan said as he grabbed one by their vest and threw them over his shoulder and across the room. He sidestepped a knife and twisted the wrist of its owner before driving his palm hard to snap the arm at the elbow. The man crumpled to the floor and didn't move anymore except to curl up around his injured limb.

Ethan, on the other hand, seemed to be having the time of his life, he was actually enjoying himself. He'd slipped into what the Mandalorians called the battle mind - it was akin to the Jedi battle meditation, except that it was for only one person, and it helped them focus. He easily ducked under a kick aimed at his head, seizing the offending human by the ankle before he body-slammed him to the floor. He'd spotted the two young people and was trying to make his way over to them, seeing as Jarius and Karrde were rather occupied.

Karrde saw Ethan heading to the youth and knew that they would be alright. But there was something else troubling him. "You notice anything?" He asked Jarius as he took down another.

"Yeah, I have," Jarius answered to him as he ducked a swing and answered with a headbutt that broke the man's nose. "No authorities yet...good or bad, I don't know." Jarius frowned beneath his helmet. Normally the authorities would be all over something like this. They'd gotten lucky so far. No one had pulled a weapon... _yet_. "I just hope the kids can hold their own. I know Marin's not had a lot of experience, against so many..."

"She's getting it right now...and doing well," Steffan said as he nodded in that direction.

Jarod, meanwhile, had taken another down with a roundhouse kick and lunge forward to take another one in the midsection as the man had tried to sneak in behind Marin.

Marin whirled, backpedaling away from Jarod to give him space. Her senses were going crazy, and she was having a hard time deciding where to turn first as bar patrons came at them from all sides. She ducked another grab, and dropped, sliding between the legs of the alien before she grabbed his ankles and yanked hard.

Jarius nodded in satisfaction, turning his attention back to the matter at hand as he spotted Ethan only a few dozen meters to the left of the two young people.


	35. Deleted Scene #2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I found this bit while doing some refinements on the editing for this story. I've added it here, even though it's not a complete chapter, Enjoy! 
> 
> This takes place around the one year anniversary of his death.

**Cataan - Edmonton**

Ethan looked down the street, looking for the sign of the place he was looking for. It took a few minutes but he found it just a bit further down the walk. "There it is," he said as he looked over to Marin dragging along. "Oh stop moping and come on."

Marin shot him a glare. "Why? _Et'ika_... it's hard enough as it is... Why do we have to go to the tavern...?"

"I've heard from a few folks that the ale is good," he told her. "Besides, Jarius would want us to toast who he was...and I hate drinking alone."

She shot him a look and raised an eyebrow. "And I'm old enough to drink? _Since when._.? I've not even finished my _Verd'goten_ yet, have I?" She swore softly. She'd just started on the tasks for it right before Xan died... And now, it had dragged on for well over a year. She was beginning to wonder if it would ever be over.

"Waiting to hear back from that," he told her. "Besides, I'm sure there's some stuff that even you can handle...now get in gear and come on."

Muttering curses under her breath, she glared at his back, her fingers clenching as she caught the jibe in his words. She knew very well what day it was... and she'd hoped she could have spent it in quiet communion at the house. But that was not to be. Ethan had woken her rather abruptly late the night before, and insisted she come with him to Cataan. So, here she was, dressed not in _Beskar'gam_, but a set of her tunics and skirt. The same ones she'd worn just after his death...

"Just trust an old man, would you?" Ethan said in a calmer tone now. "I knew he wouldn't want you alone right now. And I know Karrde and I don't want you alone. So please..."

Sighing, Marin rolled her eyes at him. "_Fine_..." she said, her tone a bit surly. "Why can't I just have time to myself..?"

"Later..." he said as he opened the door to the tavern. "And I'm sure Jarod will be back by then."

She was perhaps a half-step behind Ethan as he entered.. and it was as she stepped into the cool dimness that the emotions hit her like a punch to the gut. She'd closed down a bit. _**But this... **_She gasped a curse and leaned on the door frame for a moment before she brought her head up to scan the room in pure reflex.

"About time you two got here!" A loud, drunken voice called out above the din of the room. "I thought I was going to have to send a squad to find and drag you here."

"And already started the party without me, I see, Colonel!" Ethan roared back with a grin.

Marin's eyes widened, and her gaze went from Ethan to Taylon and back again, confused. For a moment, she leaned on the door frame as she tried to get her bearings. She wasn't used to such intense emotions. Hesitantly, she stepped into the large main room, trailing a few steps behind Ethan. She still felt a bit...exposed without the DE-10's, but Ethan had insisted she bring no weapons. She wasn't happy about that.

Taylon looked at Marin and then back over to Ethan. "You didn't tell her."

"Why?" Ethan asked as he ordered a mug. "Knew she'd argue against it."

At that, Marin had to bite back a rather rude comment. She knew better than to say such things in the present company. If Jarius had taught her anything about her adopted heritage, it was that the Cataani were very polite people. And for her to say what she wanted to, it would be seen as quite rude. Instead, she shoved that urge into a back corner of her mind, trying to breathe out the sudden tension. She managed a polite nod to Taylon. "Colonel. It's good to see you again.."

Taylon nodded and smiled. "And recovered well, too. Damn, if I didn't know better, I'd say she was his blood. I guess you're wondering what we're doing here."

She could feel a blush heating her cheeks for a moment at that comment, and she murmured a few quiet words before she nodded, and absently began running her thumb over the engraving on Jarius' tags. Even after all this time, she found it soothing. "Aye, I was wondering that.." She shot a pointed glance at Ethan.

The Colonel smiled and nodded at this. "Normally, there are a few ways we remember those that have passed. For most of us, especially in this unit, we prefer to celebrate who they were. Raise a drink in their memory and talk and joke about the good times we shared with them."

Marin's breath caught in her throat, and she had to work hard to keep the tears at bay. It wasn't easy. The only memories she really had of Jarius were training, and visiting the praxeum the few times when he wasn't on a contract. And the adoption.

"And I'm sure you'd like to know more about him," Ethan told her as he put a hand on her shoulder. "And this seemed like the best time. So come on and _try_ to have a good time?"

She sent a glance in Ethan's direction but sighed a bit as she saw he'd been pulled off to a table by some of Taylon's Marines. With a shrug, Marin nodded to Taylon. "Might as well... " she said quietly, trying to not let any of her annoyance at Ethan into her tone.

"Good," the Colonel said as he looked to the barkeep and nodded. The man there smiled and looked to something he knew someone her age could handle and poured a smaller tankard with it. Taylon took it and offered Marin a seat at the table.

She felt her eyebrows creep upwards as she looked at the tankard for a moment as she took the offered chair and arranged her skirts. She didn't wear skirts often - usually only for official functions or if the occasion was more formal. When she was settled, she leaned forward and propped her elbows on the table as she looked at him. "So... what's in the mug..?" she asked, pointing to it with her chin.

"My guess?" Taylon said as he looked and sniffed. "Apple Gin. Usually comes from the islands off of Candil, in the southern hemisphere. It's a sweet drink and pretty light...they can't handle heavy alcohol there."

She made a slight face. "And, I've never drunk anything before." She sighed slightly. "Knowing _Buir_, he might have started me on _Netra'gal_.. though he probably figured I was too young..." She frowned. "He always did like _behot_, though.."

"I prefer a strong whiskey from Edenhall myself," Taylon said as he lifted his tumbler and took a drink. "Wyren's Reserve comes close...but not close enough."

"Already talking drinks over here?" a Marine asked as he sat next to the colonel. "We don't need to get her started early."

Marin giggled a bit and ducked her head before she lifted her chin slightly. "I might be young by Cataani standards, but as far as Mandalorian culture is concerned, I'm practically an adult." Her tone held a very slight hint of challenge as she lifted the mug to her lips and took a sip. She..._almost_ succeeded in not coughing as the alcohol burned pleasantly on the way down, leaving a warm feeling in her stomach.

"_Mand_..." the Marine said, then recognition cut through his haze. "_Aso_... this is Jarius' girl."

She nodded. "Aye.." was her quiet answer as she regarded him for a moment, her thumb still tracing slowly over the engraving on his tags. She didn't care who saw at this point.

"He was a good man," the Marine said as he looked into his tankard. "A good Marine...one of the best squad leaders I've seen. And always drew a lot of loyalty from the men in his unit."

For a moment, Marin bit her lip at the emotion she felt behind his words. "He... never really talked about his service in the Marines.." she said softly. "I wish he had, at times. But I can understand now why he didn't.."

"What makes you say that?" the man asked.

She sighed and stared down into her own mug before taking a sip. "I always got the sense that he... didn't much want to talk about it." Her face darkened slightly. "Most likely due to..J'oran..." She spat the name as if it was vile, her hand curling unconsciously into a fist before she realized it.

The other Marine's face soured as he finished his drink and poured another. "J'oran...what I would give to take a skinning knife to him."

"No need... he's dead... Thank the _Manda_. _Et'ika_ saw to that.." she said softly, flexing her left hand again in memory.

The Marine suddenly turned to Ethan. "You killed him?"

"That's right," Ethan declared. "Sunk my steel into him not long ago."

"At least he met it in a fair fight," another marine said.

"Only thing good I can say about that bastard," the first said as he raised his glass. "To this man right here...Settling a score every man," he said as he looked at Marin. "_And girl_...wanted to settle."

"Aye..." Marin said, more firmly as she raised her glass. Her gaze met Ethan's. There was still annoyance there, but it had softened a bit. It still bothered her though that so many _kyr'tsad_ were still out there.

"Hey," Ethan told her, catching her look. "This isn't the time for that."

"Looks like we're late," another voice said from the door. This new arrival was wearing a black duty jumpsuit instead of the green she was used to seeing on the marines. He had a few others with him, each with different patches on the shoulder, and they had already started to fill glasses and take seats.

She glared at Ethan slightly, knowing full well what he meant. Instead, she rolled her eyes at him and muttered something under her breath. Her guardian he might be, but he still annoyed her to all _haraan_.

"Typical flyboy tardiness," Taylon said as he looked to the new arrivals, grinning as if he didn't mean it. "Good to see you found the place, Captain."

Marin's head snapped around at that, and she found herself staring open-mouthed at the small crowd who had entered. Perhaps half a dozen people, both men, and women, most wearing black duty jumpsuits that told her they were naval pilots.

"Well, you're stationed here on the planet," the new arrival said as he draped his jacket over a chair and sat down. "We had to come from squadron facilities on Catain."

Marin choked on the sip of her gin she'd just taken and coughed slightly as she looked over at him. She'd seen his face a couple of times on GNN. "Captain Dannic, I presume?" she asked, after a few breaths to still her coughing.

The pilot nodded and smiled at her. "I guess I needed no introduction after all."

Marin smirked ever so slightly. "Not entirely, Captain." She looked over at Taylon for a moment. "I believe you knew my father at one time..." she continued, watching him carefully.

"The very reason we came down," Wes said as he motioned to the other pilots. "We had a problem a while back in a border dispute. A couple of local hotheads got ahold of some handheld launchers and nailed the Warbird I was flying when I wasn't looking. Your dad was first to reach my ejection spot and keep me covered. The rest of the squadron was keeping covering fire on the local's buddies."

Marin nodded and mulled that over for a moment as she took another sip of her gin. "Well, I'm glad he was there, Captain," she replied quietly. She had picked up on the veiled dislike between the Marines and the pilots, but she couldn't figure out why.

Wes picked up on the expression and looked at her. "Wondering something?"

Marin blushed furiously at how easily people she didn't know could read her. "Well... yeah. I was actually." She sighed slightly, and tried to lock down her emotions slightly... but it didn't really work.

"Ask away," he said as he took a drink and looked towards his group to make sure they were getting along alright.

Clearing her throat nervously, Marin took a gulp of the gin before looking to Ethan, then to Taylon, and then back to Wes before she replied. "I was wondering... why is there a... dislike between you pilots and the marines..?" It was an innocent enough question, but she got the feeling the answer was complex.

"Oh," Wes said with a slight chuckle and looked at Taylon. "It isn't exactly between pilot and marine as it is between Navy and Marine. Noticed we're wearing a different colored jumpsuit from these guys, it's because we're Royal Navy. We're always with the fleets while the Marines are usually stationed here or on our colony worlds. We don't interact much unless there's either a situation going on or a friendly matchup between services."

Marin nodded slightly. "I..see," she said after a moment. It still didn't fully explain why, but she didn't really want to start a fight.

"Old habits die hard," Taylon said, shaking his head. "Don't ask us to explain it, but there's always a semi-friendly rivalry between the services. It doesn't affect our jobs...matter of fact, the Captain here had several cases of whiskey sent to us after all was said and done for helping him."

Marin laughed a bit. "Well then. No harm was done, I suppose," she said after a moment. Taking another sip, she wondered how much Jarius and Ethan had told them about her, and if they were going to ask for stories.

The Sergeant caught the look from Taylon and looked to the other Marine that started this whole thing.

"We were looking at charges and fines for all the damages till Jarius walked in," the other marine continued. "He was in an ops planning session at battalion when all this happened. He and the head of the village were going at it pretty good outside our cell till he let it be known that they were serving us up some of the local hooch they were making."

Oh, so that's what it was," Taylon said with a smile.

"We didn't know it," the sergeant answered. "That stuff was so good, it tasted like water till it hit our system.

"But, the thing was, Cestus doesn't like folks making their own stuff w/o collecting local taxes on it," the other marine answered. "So they were making it illegally for the party and tried to get a lot of credits from us for the damages."

"So when Jarius showed up, he was able to get them to drop the charges?" Taylon asked.

Marin was still rather confused, but she found the story rather amusing. "Do you know what he said to them to get the charges dropped?"

"They dropped them," the other Marine said. "Forgot the fees...in exchange for us not reporting them to the magistrate where the battalion was set up at."

"And," the sergeant said with a snicker, "for a case of the same stuff that Jarius wanted so he could sample what he missed out on." The whole room busted out laughing at that last part.

She cringed slightly and chanced a look in Taylon's direction as she gulped down the rest of her gin before she giggled.

Taylon took a moment and was laughing just as hard as the rest of the group. "So...THAT'S where he got that bottle he gave me after we were back home from maneuvers."

For a moment, Marin stared at the table, trying to contain her laughter. She failed utterly, and after a few breaths, she managed. "He always was good at finding good alcohol from the strangest places.."

"Well, good thing you brought that up," Ethan said as he started grinning, getting some attention from the Marines.

Marin quirked an eyebrow at Ethan but then shook her head. He seemed to be right at home, and she wondered if perhaps he had been a Marine before going Mando.

He pulled out a bottle from inside his jacket and held it up in front of the Marines. "Lucky for you...he told me the location of that village that you stayed at on Cestus."

That got a round of boisterous cheers from the Marines at the table as he uncorked the bottle and poured a bit into the offered empty glasses. Those that didn't have an emptied glass made sure they were empty real quick.

Trading a look with Taylon, Marin wondered if she even dared. From the sound of it, that stuff was potent.

"I wouldn't try it, _Mar'ika_," Ethan told her as he thought about it while pouring drinks. "I've tried this stuff. It is just like water, but when it gets in your system, it's worse than _netra'gal_."

Marin groaned. "Figures..." She sighed a bit and gestured to the barkeep for another gin instead as she watched the Marines.

Ethan looked at the empty bottle and put it down. "Well," he whispered over to Marin. "Good thing I've got more at the house."

She giggled and shook her head at him, figuring he'd get good and drunk once they were home again. For now, she sipped at her new mug of gin.

Taylon finished his drink and looked at his chrono, noting the time. He sighed and stood up and poured one last bit into his tumbler before he got the attention of all the guys there.

Taking another gulp of the gin, Marin coughed, looking around as she noticed the sudden quiet... almost somber mood that had settled over the room. Casting a questioning glance at Ethan, she turned her attention to Taylon again

"We gathered to remember the memory of a person that meant a lot to us. And we had a lot of great times with him. There'd also been some terrible times with him, but we were all glad to see him pull through," he nodded to Marin as he spoke. "To be able to live on as he did, to bring some meaning back into his life. These two probably knew him better than we did at the end, and I know I appreciate them telling us of the good times he continued to have with them." Several of the marines lifted their glasses to salute Ethan and Marin as well, then stood up to join the colonel. "_**To Jarius Durza**_!" they yelled.

The emotion in Talon's voice and that which filled the room caused a lump to form in her throat. She took a moment to swallow and gave Taylon a nod as she stood. "I may not have known Jarius during his time in the Marines, but I do know this: For the few years that I did know him, he was loyal, caring, and supportive of the path I chose to walk. I could not have asked for a better father or a better friend." She raised her glass and softly said the remembrance.


End file.
